Benedetti, Schonbaum share early lead at 2026 Latin America Amateur
Andrés Martínez Benedetti earned a share of the 18-hole lead with a four-under 66 in the opening round of the 2026 Latin America Amateur at Lima Golf Club. Photograph by LAAC.
LIMA, Peru – Argentina’s Andy Schonbaum and Venezuela’s Andrés Martínez Benedetti shared an early first-round lead at four-under 66 at the 2026 Latin America Amateur Championship at Lima Golf Club on Thursday.
The early starters made the most of the benign conditions. Schonbaum, who is making his 10th appearance at the Latin America Amateur, birdied his opening two holes before bouncing back from a bogey at the sixth with three birdies in four holes from Nos. 13-16 to reach the four-under-par mark.
“I was feeling super comfortable,” said the 34-year-old Schonbaum. “We had Tuesday and Wednesday where I just took good notes, good lines and paid attention where not to go. So I just went out and played there. I was playing well. I've been playing well for a while so that makes it easier.”
Martínez Benedetti, a 16-year-old making his debut, started at the 10th and was one under at the turn before three birdies on his second nine to tie for the lead. The Venezuelan took part in the inaugural LAAC Academy at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic last August, which is designed to help players from emerging golf countries to develop their games at an elite level.
“I'm good; I feel confident,” he said after his round. “I made a good start and with my coach, Daniel, I'm so happy about the round. I hit the driver well. I didn't miss a fairway. That helped me a lot and that helped me to make a good score. I'm so happy with that.”
Before the 2026 Latin America Amateur, Martínez Benedetti reflected on getting into this year’s field for the first time.
“Personally, playing in the Latin America Amateur has always been a dream of mine,” he said prior to the event. “It’s been a very difficult journey as I came very close to qualifying two years in a row.”
Gabriel Palacios (T-3), the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 25 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, is two strokes behind the leaders after submitting an eventful two-under-par 68 that featured five birdies and three bogeys. He sits tied with Mexicans Carlos Treviño Derbez and Eduardo Derbez.
“Yeah, it was great,” said the Guatemalan Palacios. “It was a lot of nerves to start to be honest. It was a very early morning. I had to wake up around 5 a.m. Being able to put a good score in today was very important so I'm excited. I'm excited for what's to come but yeah, I'm happy to start with the right foot.”
Peru’s Patrick Sparks, the runner-up in last year’s Championship at Pilar Golf in Argentina, raced to four under at the turn but frittered the shots away on the back nine to finish the day at even par. The 2022 champion Aaron Jarvis began his Championship with a one-over 71. The opening tee shot was hit by home favorite and Lima Golf Club member Rafael Claux, who went on to card a five-over-par 75.
The second round gets underway at Lima Golf Club at 7 a.m. ET on Friday.
Founded by the Masters Tournament, The R&A and the USGA in 2014, the Latin America Amateur Championship was established to further develop amateur golf in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. The event annually moves to top courses throughout Latin America and showcases the sport’s rising talent in the region, and the champion receives an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament and exemptions into The Open and the U.S. Open.
For more information on the Latin Amateur Championship, please visit LAACgolf.com and follow @LAAC_Golf on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and YouTube.
