Augusta National Golf Club, the R&A and USGA announced overnight that the 2021 Latin America Amateur Championship has been cancelled.
The event, scheduled to begin on January 14 at Lima Golf Club in Peru, was called off due to complications presented by COVID-19, according to the club.
The LAAC was founded in 2014 by the the Masters Tournament, USGA and R&A to give a platform to the sport in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. The tournament rotates venues, visiting courses in the Domincan Republic, Chile, Panama and Argentina during the past five years. The LAAC champ receives invitations to the Masters, the Open Championship, and the US and British Amateur championships.
Joaquín Niemann is a past winner of the LAAC, with PGA Tour winner Sebastian Munoz also a past LAAC participant. Álvaro Ortiz, who won the 2019 competition, was the first Mexican player in the Masters field since 1979, and ultimately made the cut. Abel Gallegos of Argentina will be the LAAC representative at next month’s Masters.
Future plans for the LAAC will be announced at a later date.
