RIO GRANDE, PUERTO RICO – Argentina’s Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira had a record day at the Grand Reserve, building a four-shot lead at the Latin American Amateur Championship on Saturday and one round out of spots at the Masters and US Open Distant.
Fernandes de Oliveira, who missed out on making the playoffs in the Dominican Republic last year by a stroke, tied a tournament record with a 9-under 63.
The Arkansas senior is 18-under, breaking the championship record of 54 holes that began in 2015 with eight. He also tied the record with nine birdies.
Mexico’s Luis Carrera, who led on 36 holes, was four strokes behind with 68. Argentina’s Vicente Margilio (66) and Peru’s Julian Perico (67) were another shot behind. Marziglio was also runner-up last year.
Fernandez de Oliveira failed to get a birdie on a pair of par 5s on the front nine and did not press. And then he turned it on and made his four consecutive birdies off the 12th hole and on the back nine he scored 30 to build a huge lead.
“I feel really good,” said Fernandez de Oliveira. Have fun tomorrow.”
The winner will qualify for the Masters in April and the US Open at the Los Angeles Country Club in June, as well as the final qualifier for the British Open.
Defending champion Aaron Jarvis of the Cayman Islands became the first Latin American amateur champion to win twice.
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