Casa de Campo Resort & Villas - home to the Caribbean's premier, luxury golf experiences - will host the prestigious Latin America Amateur Championship for the second time in four years on its celebrated Teeth of the Dog course, Jan. 17 - 20.
Contested over 72 holes of stroke play with a cut for the leading 50 players plus ties after 36 holes, the champion receives an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament, an exemption into the Amateur Championship (conducted by The R&A), and an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible.
Both the champion and runner(s)-up will also earn exemptions into The Open Qualifying (Final Qualifying), with an opportunity to earn a place in The 148th Open at Royal Portrush, plus berths in sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 119th U.S. Open Championship.
Last January, Joaquin Niemann of Chile, then ranked the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, completed a blazing stretch of seven holes in seven under par midway through the final round to seize the fourth Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) at Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago, Chile. Niemann went on to earn his PGA TOUR card after just eight starts as a professional.
Since opening in 1974, Teeth of the Dog is widely recognized as the No. 1 course in the Caribbean. The dramatic seaside layout showcases Pete Dye's design hallmarks: railroad ties, vast waste areas, peninsula greens and tees, hand-sculpted putting surfaces and a unique assortment of pot bunkers. Oceanfront holes are astoundingly beautiful, causing Dye to famously quip: "I created 11 holes and God created seven."
"We're honored to showcase the best amateur players in Latin America on our Pete Dye masterpiece, Teeth of the Dog," says Andres Pichardo Rosenberg, President of Casa de Campo. "In addition to world-class golf, we offer outstanding accommodations and a vast array of superlative amenities and activities few resorts can match."
The players will also have full use of the new Casa de Campo Golf Learning Center. Residing on 21 acres of "pure grass," the PGA Tour-quality facility is highlighted by Trackman and BODITRAK technology. It features two indoor hitting bays for rapid game improvement, year-round training, individual and group golf lessons and schools, expert club-fitting and repair, and multiple practice greens for honing putting, chipping and pitching games as well as a pristine double-sided outdoor range for full shots.
In 2002, 27-hole Dye Fore joined Teeth of the Dog as Casa de Campo's second course. Its three nines - Chavon, Marina and Lakes - are distinct. Chavon features seven holes running atop cliffs dropping 300 feet, Marina meanders down to a harbor ringed by restaurants and shops, and Lakes is artfully crafted across tumultuous terrain.
Located in the interior of the property is the resort's third Dye layout, The Links. The moderately hilly track with tall Bahia grass framing bunkers and undulating greens presents spectacular Caribbean views. Slightly over 7,000 yards from the back tees and playing to a slope of 126, it is considered one of the most-forgiving courses Dye has designed.
