The inaugural Women’s Amateur Latin America continued Friday at Pilar Golf in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The event, a collaboration between The R&A and ANNIKA Foundation, features the top 58 female amateurs from Latin America and the Caribbean and players will be vying for exemptions into the 2022 AIG Women’s Open and Amundi Evian Championships.
Two Colombians, Maria Jose Marin Negrete and Valery Plata ascended to the top of the leaderboard on day two. Marin Negrete followed up her opening-round 70 with a 6-under-par 66 that featured six birdies and an eagle, claiming the top spot.
Marin Negrete, one of the youngest players in the field at 15 years old, got off to a hot start today, making an eagle on her second hole, followed by a birdie on the third.
Plata, a senior at Michigan State University, also came out of the gates strong, birdying her first two holes of the day en route to a 4-under-par round of 68. She sits one stroke back of Marin Negrete at 7-under-par heading into the weekend.
Ana Isabel Gonzalez Cantu of Mexico is tied for third with first-round leader Alexandra Swayne who shot 3-over-par 75 in her second round. Rounding out the top five is Guatemalan Valeria Mendizabal at 2-under-par following a second round 67.
Following the success of the ANNIKA Invitational Latin America, founded in 2016, the WALA has been well received in the region and has drawn media attention from around Latin America. In addition to the two major starts, the champion will also receive an exemption into the South American Amateur Open and the top three finishers will earn slots in the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex.
Saturday’s third-round tee times will run from 8:30-11:40 a.m. off the No. 1 tee at Pilar Golf.
Live Scoring: https://walagolf.com/leaderboard/T20211027-888/
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