One of the most incredible stories in the seven editions of the Latin America Amateur Championship was written this Sunday at Teeth of the Dog, Casa de Campo. Aaron Jarvis, from the Cayman Islands—a British territory with only 650 players and two golf courses—claimed the title of the region's most important amateur championship after signing a 69-stroke card (-3) for a total of 281 (-7).

“I honestly can’t put into words what this means to me, it’s incredible. In the coming hours, I’ll realize the full scope of what I’ve just achieved. The opportunity to play The Masters and The Open is a dream for any golfer and I can’t wait for it to come true,” were the first words of Jarvis, 19, who played extraordinary golf under pressure, while Brazil’s Fred Biondi saw a two-stroke lead vanish in the final group.

“I was very patient at the end of the round; I knew I could make some birdies on the last few holes and I gave myself the opportunities. I hope this helps grow golf in my country,” expressed the new LAAC champion, who was participating in this championship for the second time. His previous appearance was at this same venue in 2019, where he made the cut but finished in 50th place. “Obviously I arrived better prepared this time, with more experience and a completely different game,” commented Jarvis, who secured his spot at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas after achieving great results in his final year of high school at Windermere Prep School.

In addition to his first great semester at university, a turning point in Jarvis's young career was the decision to move to the United States to attend the Leadbetter Junior Golf Academy in Orlando after his 2019 LAAC debut. “I hope this can inspire the next generations in my country so that golf begins to gain popularity,” added Jarvis, who will undoubtedly revolutionize not only the Cayman Islands but also the Leadbetter academy, UNLV, and every corner of his home country of only 71,000 inhabitants.

The start and end of the round were sublime moments for Jarvis on a Sunday where Teeth of the Dog, even without wind, proved to be a perfect stage for the championship’s definition. Emotions appeared in each of the final groups, and Jarvis silently climbed the leaderboard. The start of the round quickly put him in position with three birdies in the first five holes. A bogey on the 8th wasn't as grave as the double bogey on the par-4 9th, resulting in an even-par 36 for the front nine that distanced him from Biondi and the rest of the contenders.

While Roberto Nieves (Puerto Rico), the leader after 54 holes, lost his consistency with a double bogey on the par-5 5th, Mateo Fernández de Oliveira (Argentina) put on pressure with a solid bogey-free 68 that fell just one stroke short (failing to birdie the par-5 18th). Quietly, Jarvis began taking risks from the 10th hole and, with four birdies and one bogey (on the 16th), closed with a back-nine 33 (-3). The magic number of 281 strokes (-7) became the challenge for everyone, adding extra pressure and a touch of drama to the finish.

In that context, Fred Biondi, leading by two at the 10th tee, lost his apparent calm for a couple of bad swings that cost him two bogeys in the last five holes and a failure to birdie the 18th. It was the equally quiet and fighting Vicente Marzilio (Argentina) who had the last chance to force a playoff: after a massive second shot on the 18th (the ball hit a sprinkler head before the green and stopped at 4 meters), the Argentine missed the eagle putt and it was over. Minutes earlier, Santiago de la Fuente (Mexico) also had his chance but missed a one-meter birdie putt on the 18th, squandering his opportunity to force a tiebreaker.

The 2022 Latin America Amateur Championship taught everyone a new lesson: in golf, there is always room for surprises, for incredible stories of overcoming odds, and for champions coming from small islands with just a couple of golf courses and a handful of amateur players. Aaron Jarvis will surely be a turning point not only for his country but a perfect inspiration for many throughout the region. Ultimately, that is what this championship, created by the Founding Partners—The Masters, The R&A, and the USGA—is all about.

LAAC Prizes:

Aaron Jarvis received an invitation to play the 2022 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club and The 150th Open at St Andrews. Additionally, he obtained full exemptions for The Amateur Championship, the U.S. Amateur Championship, and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible, and is exempt for the final qualifying stages of the 122nd U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. Furthermore, Mateo Fernández de Oliveira, Vicente Marzilio, Santiago de la Fuente, and Fred Biondi enter directly into the final qualifying phases for The 150th Open and the 122nd U.S. Open Championship.