Andy Schonbaum Takes Command at Latin America Amateur Championship with Steady Second Round
LIMA, Peru - Andy Schonbaum has been here before. The 34-year-old Argentine knows what it means to grind through pressure-packed rounds, and on Friday at the Latin America Amateur Championship, he showed exactly why experience matters.
Schonbaum heads into the weekend with a two-shot lead at 6-under 134 after carding a composed 2-under 68 in the second round at Lima Golf Club - the same course where he helped Argentina win the South American Amateur Team Championship back in 2016. That familiarity? It’s clearly paying off.
“Yeah, I definitely was in control,” Schonbaum said after his round. “I've been striking it very well.”
And it showed. Starting on the back nine, Schonbaum wasted no time making noise.
He rolled in four birdies over his first seven holes, offsetting a pair of bogeys to make the turn at 2-under for the day and 6-under overall. From there, it was all about keeping the wheels on - and he did just that, stringing together 11 straight pars to close out the round.
While others around him stumbled, Schonbaum stayed steady.
This isn’t his first rodeo. Schonbaum has played in 10 of the 11 editions of this championship, with his best finish coming in 2020 at Mayakoba, where he tied for 11th. But now, with a cushion and the weekend in sight, he’s positioned better than ever to make a real run at the title.
And doing it at Lima Golf Club? That adds a little something extra.
“It has a special place in my heart always,” Schonbaum said. “When I play for Argentina, it's always an honor. Of course, winning helps because you know how you feel coming down the stretch.”
Fortlage’s Flurry Keeps Him in the Hunt
Paraguay’s Erich Fortlage made his move early in the day with one of Friday’s best rounds - a 4-under that tied for the low of the day. It didn’t start pretty.
After opening on the 10th, Fortlage struggled to find rhythm on his first nine. But once he hit the turn, everything clicked.
He caught fire on the front nine, rattling off five birdies in a six-hole stretch from Nos. 1 through 6. That surge vaulted him to 3-under for the tournament and into a tie for third.
At just 19, Fortlage is already a familiar face at this event. This marks his fifth straight appearance, and he’s coming off a T-6 finish last year.
He also knows what it feels like to win at Lima Golf Club - he captured the Junior International Tournament here in 2023. That history, combined with Friday’s back-nine blitz, makes him one to keep an eye on heading into the weekend.
Martínez Benedetti Holds Steady in Debut
Venezuela’s Andrés Martínez Benedetti may be just 16 years old, but he’s playing like a seasoned vet. Making his Latin America Amateur debut after narrowly missing out on qualifying the past two years, Martínez Benedetti showed poise beyond his years.
He opened with a bogey on the par-5 first - not the start he wanted - but steadied himself and battled to an even-par 70. A birdie on the 18th - one of the toughest holes on the course Friday - was the perfect punctuation mark, helping him secure solo second at 4-under, just two shots behind Schonbaum.
For a first-time participant, that’s impressive. But when you consider how many past champions were already in the top four after 36 holes - nine of the previous ten, to be exact - it’s also a sign that Martínez Benedetti is right where he needs to be.
Weekend Contenders Taking Shape
Rounding out the top four heading into the weekend is Argentina’s Mateo Pulicini, who joins Fortlage in a tie for third. The leaderboard is tightening, and history tells us that the eventual winner is likely already among this group. Only once in the tournament’s history has a champion come from outside the top four after 36 holes - that was Costa Rica’s Paul Chaplet in 2016, who was T-11 at the halfway point.
The cut line was set at 8-over 148, with 56 players advancing to the weekend. Now, it’s all about who can handle the heat - and with a major championship exemption on the line, every shot from here on out carries weight.
For Schonbaum, the lead is his - but the chase is on.