Live Scoring
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue's Fernando Barco competes in this week's Latin America Amateur Championship, teeing off Thursday at Club de Golf de Panama in Panama City, Panama, in search of a spot in the 2017 Masters.
Sponsored by The Masters, The R&A and the USGA, the winner receives an invitation to compete in The Masters in April 2017 at Augusta National Golf Course, as well as full exemption into The Amateur Championship, U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA Amateur Championships. In addition, the winner and the runner(s)-up will be exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The 146th Open at Royal Birkdale and the 2017 U.S. Open Championship at Erin Hills.
ESPN will provide event coverage in this year's host country, as well as throughout Latin America. Other broadcasters include ESPN2 and ESPN News (United States), Le Sports (China), TSN (Canada), SuperSport (Southern Africa), Fox Sports Asia (Asia) and Eurosport (Europe). All of the coverage will also be streamed live on the official event website, LAACgolf.com.
Barco, a senior from Lima, Peru, will be competing in his second LAAC event and is considered one of the players to watch in the competition. Barco finished tied for third at last year's event in the Dominican Republic, missing out on an invitation by just two shots. Barco finished with a 72-hole total of 1-under par 287 (73-69-76-69) to finish just two shots behind Costa Rica's Paul Chaplet and one behind Venenzuela's Jorge Garcia.
The field will include six of the world's top 100 amateurs as well as several other high-profile contenders.
Through the fall season, Barco owns a 73.64 stroke average and currently ranks ninth on the Purdue career stroke average list (73.99). Last year, he was named a second-team All-Big Ten selection after a 73.13 stroke average and posting eight top-20 finishes.
The Boilermakers will begin their spring season with the Big Ten Match Play Championship on Feb. 10 and 11, in Palm Coast, Florida. The following week, Purdue hosts the prestigious Puerto Rico Classic on Feb. 19 to 21.
