Moving day at the inaugural Women’s Amateur Latin America proved to be more of the same atop the leaderboard 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.
Saturday saw Colombian Maria Jose Marin Negrete shoot a flawless bogey-free round of 5-under-par 67, to extend her lead to two over fellow countrywoman Valery Plata. Marin Negrete got off to another hot start, making birdie on four of her first seven holes. Despite a bogey on the first, Plata rebounded with five birdies on the front nine to turn in 4-under-par 32.
Sitting in third place, eight adrift of Marin Negrete, heading into Sunday’s final round is Argentina’s Valentina Rossi, who vaulted up the leaderboard with a third round 67. Rossi is an ANNIKA veteran, teeing it up in her eighth Foundation event.
Annika was on site Saturday to take in the action, and spent some time with the players after the round, putting on a short-game clinic.
“I think we’re making a big difference,” said Annika at her press conference. “It’s a historic week with this championship. When people come together with the same mission, the same passion, it creates something special.”
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.
Sunday’s final-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/