Mateo Pulcini stood over a three-foot putt on the 18th green at Lima Golf Club, knowing exactly what was on the line. One stroke, one swing, and a lifetime of dreams could become reality.
But instead of letting the moment overwhelm him, he stuck to a routine he’d practiced for years-quick, focused, and unflinching. Because the stakes weren’t just high-they were historic.
Make the putt, and he’d earn invitations to golf’s most iconic stages: the Masters at Augusta, the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and automatic entry into both the U.S.
Amateur and British Amateur. Miss it, and the door to those majors would narrow significantly.
No Masters, and only a spot in final qualifying for the others. For Pulcini, this wasn’t just about winning a tournament-it was about changing the trajectory of his career.
He drained it.
With that final putt, Pulcini capped off a brilliant Sunday and clinched the Latin America Amateur Championship in dramatic fashion, outlasting Venezuela’s Virgilio Paz Valdes in a two-hole playoff. The win didn’t just earn him hardware-it earned him a ticket to golf’s biggest stages.
Pulcini, a 25-year-old from Argentina and an alum of Oklahoma Christian University, became the oldest champion in LAAC history and just the third Argentine to win the event. And he did it the hard way.
Starting the day two shots behind fellow Argentine Secundo Oliva Pinto, Pulcini fired a composed 68-his second of the week-to finish at 275, five-under for the tournament. That score matched Paz Valdes, who surged into contention with a strong final round of his own.
The final group, meanwhile, struggled to keep pace. Oliva Pinto, a seasoned LAAC competitor with three prior top-10 finishes, faded with a 73. Brazil’s Eduardo Matarazzo and Argentina’s Andy Schonbaum, who began the day just one shot back, also faltered.
But Pulcini? He was steady all week.
Just like last year, when he tied for sixth, he was one of the few players to shoot par or better in every round. His consistency and composure were the difference-makers, especially down the stretch on Sunday.
The defining moments came late. On the 17th hole, with Paz Valdes having just rolled in a long birdie putt to reach five-under, Pulcini needed a clutch par save to stay tied.
He delivered. Then, on the first playoff hole, after Paz Valdes stuck it close for par, Pulcini again faced a must-make putt to extend the playoff-and calmly buried it.
That set the stage for the second playoff hole. Pulcini missed the green but executed a textbook up-and-down, converting a short putt for par.
When Paz Valdes couldn’t match it, Pulcini’s celebration began. His Argentine teammates stormed the green, dousing him with water.
He kissed the trophy with Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley looking on-a fitting image for a player whose next stop will be Magnolia Lane.
Afterward, Pulcini was understandably emotional.
“We dream to play and to win this,” he said. “I have no words right now. I'm so happy, and so grateful for the people around me.”
It was a sharp contrast from Saturday, when he’d battled through his toughest round of the week and admitted to making poor decisions. But on Sunday, he flipped the script-and then some. His putter was his best friend, and his nerves held strong when it mattered most.
Even Paz Valdes, who showed tremendous sportsmanship throughout, recognized the moment’s magnitude.
“I told Mateo walking on 18 fairway, like, let’s just enjoy this moment,” he said. “This is a special moment. So let’s just have fun.”
Pulcini did more than enjoy it-he owned it. And now, he’s headed to the Masters, the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and a year that could redefine his golfing future.