Schonbaum, Martínez Benedetti Share Early Lead at Latin America Amateur Championship
LIMA, Peru - The 2026 Latin America Amateur Championship teed off Thursday morning under calm skies at Lima Golf Club, and two players-one a seasoned veteran, the other a teenage newcomer-set the early pace with matching four-under 66s.
Argentina’s Andy Schonbaum, competing in his 10th LAAC, leaned on experience and course prep to post a steady, composed round. The 34-year-old came out firing with birdies on his first two holes, stumbled briefly with a bogey at the par-4 sixth, but responded like a player who’s been here before-carding three birdies over a four-hole stretch from Nos. 13 to 16 to climb to the top of the leaderboard.
“I was feeling super comfortable,” Schonbaum said after the round. “We had Tuesday and Wednesday where I just took good notes, good lines and paid attention where not to go. So I just went out and played there.”
It showed. Schonbaum’s round was a textbook example of knowing your spots and trusting your game. He’s been trending in the right direction for a while now, and Thursday’s round was further proof he’s still got the game to contend.
Sharing the lead is Venezuela’s Andrés Martínez Benedetti, who’s on the opposite end of the experience spectrum. Just 16 years old and making his LAAC debut, Martínez Benedetti played like a seasoned pro. Starting on the back nine, he made the turn at one under before catching fire with three birdies on his second nine to match Schonbaum at four under.
“I’m good; I feel confident,” the teenager said after his round. “I made a good start and with my coach, Daniel, I’m so happy about the round.
I hit the driver well. I didn’t miss a fairway.
That helped me a lot and that helped me to make a good score.”
For Martínez Benedetti, this week is more than just a tournament-it’s the realization of a goal he’s been chasing for years. After narrowly missing out on qualifying the past two seasons, he finally broke through to earn a spot in the field. His preparation included time at the inaugural LAAC Academy last August in the Dominican Republic, a development program aimed at nurturing elite talent from emerging golf nations.
“Personally, playing in the Latin America Amateur has always been a dream of mine,” he said before the event. “It’s been a very difficult journey.”
Right behind the leaders is a logjam at two under, including the tournament’s top-ranked player, Gabriel Palacios of Guatemala. Ranked No. 25 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, Palacios delivered a rollercoaster of a round-five birdies, three bogeys-but managed to keep himself well within striking distance.
“It was a lot of nerves to start to be honest,” Palacios admitted. “It was a very early morning.
I had to wake up around 5 a.m. Being able to put a good score in today was very important so I’m excited.”
He’s tied for third with Mexican duo Carlos Treviño Derbez and Eduardo Derbez, both of whom also posted two-under 68s.
Local fans had their eyes on Peru’s Patrick Sparks, who nearly won this event last year. Sparks looked sharp early, going four under on the front nine, but struggled coming home and finished the day at even par. It wasn’t the finish he wanted, but there’s still plenty of golf left to be played.
Meanwhile, 2022 champion Aaron Jarvis opened with a one-over 71, and Lima Golf Club’s own Rafael Claux, who hit the ceremonial opening tee shot, carded a five-over 75.
The second round begins Friday at 7 a.m. ET, and with conditions expected to remain favorable, the leaderboard could see plenty of movement.
Now in its 12th year, the Latin America Amateur Championship continues to serve as a launching pad for the region’s brightest amateur talents. Founded by the Masters Tournament, The R&A, and the USGA, the event rotates among top courses throughout Latin America and offers a life-changing prize: the winner earns a spot in the Masters, as well as exemptions into The Open and the U.S. Open.
With two very different stories tied at the top-Schonbaum’s veteran savvy and Martínez Benedetti’s youthful rise-this year’s LAAC is already delivering the kind of drama and promise that makes this event a must-watch.