PANAMA CITY, Panama — A former Razorback – Segundo Oliva Pinto, a current Razorback – Manuel Lozada, and a future Razorback – Erich Fortlage, each finished inside the top 15 at the 2024 Latin America Amateur Championship.
Oliva Pinto (Argentina) was playing in his fourth LAAC and he garnered his fourth top-15 finish, tying for eighth at +4 (284). The 2023 Arkansas graduate finished with rounds of 68-69 to move up 10 spots after his opening rounds of 70-77. Oliva Pinto also tied for eighth in his first LAAC (2020), tied for 13th in 2022 and tied for 15th last season.
Lozada (Argentina) placed 10th with a score of 285 (+5). The Razorback junior also finished with rounds of 68-69 to climb from 31st after round one and 24th after round two. Lozada was fifth last season and tied for 43rd in 2022, which was one of his first events after missing the fall of 2021 due to injury.
Fortlage (Paraguay) is a Razorback signee for next season. He tied for 15th with a 54-hole total of 289 (+9) and jumped three spots on the final day. It was his second top 15 in as many tries at the LAAC, tying for 12th last year.
Houston senior Santiago De la Fuente (Mexico) joined Razorback Alvaro Ortiz (2019) as Mexicans to win the LAAC. De la Fuente shot a final-round 64 to finish at -10 and win by two strokes over fellow countryman Omar Morales.
The winner of the LAAC earns invitations to the 2024 Masters, 2024 U.S. Open and 2024 Open Championships. In nine years of the LAAC, a Razorback has won twice – Ortiz in 2019 and Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira in 2023 – had a total of three runners-up between Ortiz and Fernande de Oliveira and now has had a total of 20 top 15 finishes between Ortiz, Fernandez de Oliveira, Oliva Pinto, Lozada, Fortlage, Julian Perico, Mateo Pulcini and Juan Camilo Vesga.
Up next, Arkansas will open the spring portion of its schedule Feb. 11-13 at the Palmas Del Mar Collegiate, played in Humacao, Puerto Rico.
