PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico -- Former Bellevue University men's golfer Jose Vega (Medellin, Colombia) fired a tournament-best 65 second round en route to a third place finish at the Latin America Amateur Championship played at El Camaleon Golf Club in Mayakoba, Mexico over the weekend.
Vega found himself six shots back after the first round of play, firing a 3-over 74, however, he made a big charge in the second round with a tournament-best 6-under round to take a three shot lead. With a 1-over third round, Vega headed into the final round with a two-stroke advantage but was unable to sustain that advantage. He finished third as Abel Gallegos and Aaron Terrazas both carded 4-under final rounds to slip ahead of Vega.
Gallegos, of Argentina, became the second-youngest LAAC champion in the event's six-year history at age 17.
During his Bruin career, Vega earned All-American honors three times, including being a first team selection as both a sophomore and junior. He posted a scoring average under 73 in each of his final three seasons at BU and won or finished in a tie for first place in a total of six tournaments.
Additionally, Vega was a three-time All-Region selection, three-time first team all-MCAC selection, and was twice named the MCAC Golfer of the Year, doing so as both a sophomore and junior.
In 2014, the Masters Tournament, The R&A, and the USGA announced the formation of the Latin America Amateur Championship in an effort to further develop amateur golf throughout the region, and specifically in South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
The LAAC follows a model established by the Masters and the R&A when, in 2009, the organizations created the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) for the purpose of advancing the sport in that part of the world and creating heroes that other aspiring golfers would emulate.
The tournament winner gained exemptions into a pair of major tournaments: the 2020 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in April and The 149th Open at Royal St George's in July. Additionally, the Latin American Amateur Champion is allowed to compete in The Amateur Championship, the U.S. Amateur, and any other USGA amateur event for which he's eligible, including the final stage of qualifying for the 120th U.S. Open at Winged Foot.
