Current IJGA student Aaron Terrazas of Veracruz, Mexico, is set to play in the inaugural Latin American Amateur Championship (LAAC) at Pilar Golf Club in Argentina on January 15-18, 2015. The much-anticipated event is composed of the leading players from the 29 International Olympic Committee-recognized countries and territories from this region that are current members of the International Golf Federation. Each organization is provided with two exemptions into the tournament based on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR). Terrazas is the second-ranked amateur in Mexico and therefore earned a spot in the prestigious championship.
The event was organized by the United States Golf Association (USGA), The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, and The Masters Tournament after seeing the Asian Amateur Championship take off in popularity among aspiring amateurs in Asia. The organizations hope to spark the interest in golf in Latin America with the foundation of the tournament. Being able to participate in this event is a great goal for golfers in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean and it will provide them the opportunity to play on golf’s largest stages.
The champion of the inaugural LAAC and all future winners of the event will receive an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament, beginning in 2015. The champion will also receive a full exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible and, along with the runner(s)-up, an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open and International Final Qualifying for the Open Championship, also beginning in 2015.
There will be TV coverage in the United States on ESPN 2 and ESPN News as well as a live broadcast of the event on the LAAC website. Terrazas tees off the No. 1 tee at Pilar Golf Club at 12:22pm local time.
Best of luck to Terrazas as he represents himself, his family, Mexico and the IJGA.
