BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Justin Hastings of the Cayman Islands was playing so well Friday he felt nothing could stop him in the Latin American Amateur Championship. A two-hour storm delay did, but he birdied the 18th for a 7-under 65 and a share of the lead with Patrick Sparks of Peru.
Sparks had two late bogeys at Pilar Golf Club and shot 70.
They were at 8-under 136, one shot ahead of Erich Fortlage of Paraguay (66) and Jose Antonio Safa of Mexico (68) going into the weekend.
The winner receives an invitation to play in the Masters in April, along with exemptions into the U.S. Open and British Open this year.
“It’s hard not to think about it,” Sparks said. “But again, I want to take it slowly and enjoy these next two days, and we’ll see what happens at the end of the week.”
Hastings, a senior at San Diego State, is trying to become the second player from the Cayman Islands to win the Latin American Amateur. Aaron Jarvis (UNLV) won three years ago.
He opened with seven birdies in 13 holes until storms moved in and caused a delay of just over two hours, along with putting enough rain on the course to make it play softer, and longer without any wind.
The longest putt of his eight birdies was just over 10 feet for Hastings, who said that illustrated how well he was hitting his irons and wedges.
“Honestly, when I’m 7 under through 13, I feel like I’m so deep in the zone nothing can affect me — except going and sitting inside for two hours,” he said. “You try not to think about the scores or anything and try to keep focusing on next shot that you had.”
He bogeyed the 14th when play resumed, and finished with one last birdie.
The cut for the top 50 and ties came at 2-over 146. Among those missing out was Jarvis, the 2022 champion when it was held in the Dominican Republic.