July 13th - 2022
The oldest golf championship in the world celebrates its 150th edition where it all began, the mecca of this sport that, from St Andrews, Scotland, unfolded all its magic to every corner of the planet.
Among great legends and with the mystique and tradition of a championship unlike any other - even more so this week - Latin America and the Caribbean shows the sustained growth of golf in the region and translates it into a record presence with 8 players in the field: Joaquín Niemann (Chile), Abraham Ancer (Mexico), Mito Pereira (Chile), Jorge Fernández Valdés (Argentina), Aaron Jarvis (Cayman Islands), Sebastián Muñoz (Colombia), Emiliano Grillo (Argentina) and Fabrizio Zanotti (Paraguay).
Each one comes from different paths, but two of them are the perfect example of how The R&A works in the region to develop the sport and provide benefits/opportunities to the players. One of those who took advantage of these benefits was the young man from the Cayman Islands, Aaron Jarvis, who arrived at Casa de Campo with a low profile and won the seventh edition of the Latin America Amateur Championship in early 2022. The amateur golfer from the Cayman Islands did not only played the Masters in April, but this thursday he will play the second Major of his career at the legendary Old Course. Another clear sign of the positive impact generated by The R&A's strong commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean.
“It is a dream for me to be part of this championship. I want to thank The R&A for giving me the opportunity to play The Open and I look forward to capitalizing on this experience for the rest of my career,” commented Jarvis, still emotional after meeting Tiger Woods and other legends of the sport.
Aaron Jarvis (Cayman Islands), 2022 LAAC Champion.
The R&A's decision to create an office in Latin America and the Caribbean is directly related to the continued growth of golf in the region. Its Director, Mark Lawrie, points out from St Andrews: “it is a very special week in the history of golf that began with the Celebration of Champions. It was spectacular to see so many big names play with amateur golfers, in some cases with certain physical disabilities. It was exciting and sobering. There is a lot of expectation for what will happen this week and in our case, in addition to multiple meetings with Federations and Associations in the region, it is an absolute privilege that they join us in this celebration of 150 years of The Open”.
Jarvis' debut at The Open will be at 12:53 PM (local time), along with renowned golfers such as Sergio García (Spain) and Stewart Cink (United States), in a start that will be a great learning experience for the LAAC champion.
One of the great golden pages is written this week in St Andrews, Scotland, where only golf is breathed. For Latin America and the Caribbean, having a strong presence at the level of players and directors of Federations and Associations is to confirm that golf in the region is more alive than ever and that is also celebrated in the world cathedral of this wonderful sport.
About The R&A
Based in St Andrews, The R&A runs The Open, elite amateur events, international matches and rankings. Together The R&A and the USGA govern the sport of golf worldwide, operating in separate jurisdictions but sharing a commitment to a single code for the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status and Equipment Standards. The R&A, through R&A Rules Ltd, governs the sport worldwide, outside of the United States and Mexico, on behalf of over 30 million golfers in 143 countries and with the consent of 158 organisations from amateur and professional golf. The R&A is committed to working for golf and supports the growth of the sport internationally and the development and management of sustainable golf facilities.
For more information, visit www.randa.org