The inaugural LAAC Academy, announced by the founding partners at the 2025 Latin America Amateur Championship in January, will launch next week at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic. Twelve players from developing golf nations in Latin America will join specialized coaches from August 3-9 to take part in the Academy.
The Academy was created to provide additional learning opportunities for golfers in the region, part of an overall commitment from the Masters Tournament, The R&A and the USGA to elevate the game in Latin America.
“This is something that we are extremely excited about,” said Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament at a press conference in January. “I've been asked often, I've had the privilege of attending all 10 [Latin America Amateurs], participating in all 10 of these Championships, and so now it's time to look to the next decade. I think starting these Academies is going to be a big factor in what we'll be able to do over the next 10 years.”
The LAAC Academy is a weeklong training event where players are introduced to world-class instruction on key areas of elite competition such as short-game skills, sport psychology, stat-tracking, strength and conditioning, swing analysis and technical swing improvement. The event’s founding partners cover all costs including flights, accommodations, uniforms and meals for selected participants. The host of the inaugural LAAC Academy – Casa de Campo – has hosted the Latin America Amateur three times in its 10-year history.
The AAC Academies, which were established in 2019 and spurred by the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, serve as a model for the LAAC Academy program. Similar to the launch of the LAAC Academy, the inaugural AAC Academy was held ahead of the 11th edition of the Championship in 2019.
Participating players include Bolivia’s Vicente Quiroga, the Dominican Republic’s Waldo Aguasvivas and Rodrigo Huerta, Ecuador’s Santiago Villegas, Guatemala’s Matias Calderon, Honduras’ Carlos Alvarez, Nicaragua’s Pablo Lacayo, Panama’s Pablo del Grosso, Paraguay’s Ezequiel Cabrera, Peru’s Mauricio Tello, Puerto Rico’s Evan Peña and Venezuela’s Andres Martinez. The Academy’s coaching team includes 10-time LAAC competitor Miguel Ordonez, owner of HRG Academy & former professional Hernan Rey, 14-year Argentina National Team coach Santy Garat and former professional & ARA performance coach Andres Echavarria.
“I’m hoping to improve my skills, learn from experienced coaches, and take my game to the next level while connecting with others who share my passion for golf,” said Alvarez.
