Justin Hastings has just made history at the Latin America Amateur Championship, and he did it in dramatic fashion as darkness fell over Pilar Golf Club.
The 21-year-old from the Cayman Islands clinched a nail-biting one-shot victory over Peru’s Patrick Sparks, earning himself spots in three of golf’s biggest tournaments – the Masters, the U.S. Open, and The Open Championship.
It’s a pretty amazing achievement for a kid who first played in this tournament at just 14 years old.
Weather forced organizers to squeeze the final two rounds into Saturday, making for an intense day of golf that finished just before nightfall. Hastings kept his cool when it mattered most, tapping in the winning putt as shadows crept across the 18th green.
The San Diego State University senior had built a comfortable four-shot lead after a brilliant third-round 64. But championship golf has a way of testing nerves.
Those nerves showed up big time on the 13th hole, where Hastings hit his tee shot out of bounds. But he showed incredible grit, managing to birdie the hole with his second ball.
“I had to stay in the moment and focus on one shot at a time,” Hastings said. “It’s amazing that we now have two wins from the Cayman Islands. It’s just incredible.”
Speaking of the Cayman Islands – they’re now punching well above their weight in this tournament. Hastings follows in the footsteps of Aaron Jarvis, who won in 2022. That’s two champions from a country of just 65,000 people.
Patrick Sparks put up a great fight with a final-round 68, but a missed par putt on the 17th proved costly. He finished one shot back at 15-under.
Three players tied for third at 14-under: Argentina’s Segundo Oliva Pinto, Guatemala’s Gabriel Palacios, and Mexico’s Gerardo Gomez.
The scoring was red-hot all week – 38 players finished under par. Even 43-year-old Jeronimo Esteve, a full-time car dealer from Puerto Rico, got in on the action with two 67s on Saturday to finish tied for sixth.
For Hastings, life’s about to get really interesting. He’s heading to Augusta National for the Masters in April, Royal Portrush for The Open in July, and Oakmont for the U.S. Open in June.
The LAAC has been launching careers since 2015. Just look at Joaquin Niemann, who won in 2018 and is now a star on the pro tours. Other notable players who’ve come through include Nico Echavarria, Sebastian Munoz, and Mito Pereira.
Next year’s tournament heads to Lima Golf Club in Peru. But for now, all eyes are on Justin Hastings as he prepares for the biggest year of his young golf career.
