Former Razorback Pulcini Wins Latin America Amateur Championship

LIMA, Peru – Former Razorback Mateo Pulcini needed two extra holes but rolled in par putts on both to win the 2026 Latin America Amateur Championship, played at Lima Golf Club in Lima, Peru. Current Razorback Erich Fortlage was atop the leaderboard during the final round and former Hog Segundo Oliva Pinto entered the final round as the leader.

Pulcini (69-68-70-68=275 / -5) earns exemptions to this year’s The Masters, The U.S. Open, the Open Championship and the U.S. Amateur Championship.

“We dream to play and to win this,” Pulcini said. “I have no words right now. I’m so happy, and so grateful for the people around me.

“There were a lot of nerves coming in, but I tried to have fun, I tried to laugh,” Pulcini said. “Being in that position was something that I was dreaming about at the beginning of the week, so why not take advantage of that and enjoy it?”

The Rio Cuarto, Argentina, native was never lower than sixth place throughout the four-day championship and started the final round tied for fourth at -3 through 54 holes. He opened with a bogey but bounced back with a birdie. He got to 1-under with a birdie on the par-4, 5th, only to give that shot back with a bogey on 6. Pulcini would make the turn at 1-under thanks to a birdie on the par-4, 8th.

He opened the inward nine with a pair of pars before going birdie, bogey, birdie to propel him to the lead. He closed this round with four pars, which forced a playoff with his playing partner Virgillo Paz Valdes (Missouri).

In the playoff, Pulcini found the right rough off the tee box. He took a mighty lash on his second send and somehow escaped the trees – joking to the TV commentator “99% air” – to about 40 yards short of the hole. He chipped to about 18 feet and sank his par putt to force a second playoff hole. Pulcini once again was on the right rough off the tee box but was in better position. His second shot was about 20 yards short of the green. He chipped it close and made his par putt to win the championship.

Fortlage recorded his second top 10 finish. After tying for sixth last season, the sophomore from Paraguay tied for third with rounds of 71-66-70-70 for a 3-under-par 277. Fortlage was steady, carding 13 pars. He birdied the second hole but followed with a double bogey. He got back to even par for the day with a birdie on 10. He added a birdie on 13 to stand at 4-under and tied for the lead. However, he had a bogey on 15 and closed his round with three pars.

Oliva Pinto finished fifth (72-69-64-73=278 / -2). He opened with a bogey but answered with a birdie on hole 2. However, that was his only birdie for the day.

Razorback sophomore Gerardo Gómez tied for 26th (71-71-70-76=288 / =8)

Pulcini is the third Razorback to win the LAAC, joining Álvaro Ortiz (2019) and Mateo Fernández de Oliveira (2023).

With Fortlage tying for third and Oliva Pinto placing fifth, Razorbacks have tallied 23 top 10 finishes including:

• Ortiz (T3 in 2015, T2 in 2017, 2 in 2018, champion 2019)
• Julian Perico (T4 in 2017, T6 in 2020, T9 in 2022, 6 in 2023)
• Oliva Pinto (T8 in 2020, T8 in 2024, T3 in 2025, 5 in 2026)
• Mateo Fernández de Oliveira (T2 in 2022, champion 2023)
• Juan Camilo Vesga (T9 in 2022)
• Manuel Lozada (5 in 2023, 10 in 2024)
• Pulcini (T9 in 2023, T6 in 2025, champion 2026)
• Gerardo Gomez (T3 in 2025)
• Fortlage (T6 in 2025, T3 in 2026)

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