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Women's Amateur Latin America
Three-way tie at the top at the Women’s Amateur Latin America Championship
22 Nov 25
5 mins
Three players share the lead at the halfway stage of the Women’s Amateur Latin America (WALA) championship, as Emily Odwin, María José Marín and Daniela Paez vie for the coveted title at PGA Riviera Maya.
The trio sit on four-under-par at the top ahead of an exciting weekend in Mexico for the 72-hole championship, presented by The R&A and the ANNIKA Foundation. Odwin, 21, finished in style in the hot conditions to sign for a 70 for the second day running. The Barbados player, who competed with Marin in the US Women’s Open in the summer, enjoyed back-to-back birdies at the 17th and 18th as she aims to go one better in the championship after her runner-up finish in Peru last year.Odwin surge
Odwin said, “Today was a grind and I think that speaks to the test of this golf course for us and the condition it’s in. I’m happy with the way I finished and the way I stuck in there today as I kept giving myself chances. “It was important to manage the heat today and take care of yourself, making sure I was hanging in there physically too. I have good nerves and having nerves means you have a chance to win a golf tournament. I’m just going to have fun the next two days and see what I can do.”
Joint-leader Emily Odwin from Barbados on day two of the Women's Amateur Latin America championship at PGA Riviera Maya.
While Odwin made a late surge – her approach at the 18th lipped out for eagle – overnight leaders Marin and Paez both bogeyed the final hole after eventful rounds.
As the top player in the field at eighth on the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®), Marín, 19, impressively carded six birdies but also had two bogeys and a double bogey at the par-3 15th in her 71. Marin’s Colombia team-mate Paez, 18, posted three birdies and two bogeys in her 71 as she continued her bid for success.
Marín aims to improve
Marín added, “The round was kind of a rollercoaster. I had a lot of birdies but I did have a lot of big numbers I wanted to avoid. I’m just going to keep my head up for tomorrow. Overall, it was still a one-under round with everything that happened out there. I just need to stay patient. “I had a bad bounce on the par-3 15th that cost me the double bogey and then maybe I need to work on some course management that will allow me to convert the bogeys into pars. But my putting has been really strong overall and my second shots have been good too.” Paez said, “I had fun out there. It was more of a consistent round and the course was great. I feel I have to give all my attention to the shot at hand and focus on my strategy. I work on my focus a lot. I like competition and want to keep having fun and giving my best.” Alexa Saldana, 21, from Mexico put together a solid round of 70 featuring birdies at the 7th, 9th and 16th to be well-placed on two-under in fourth place.
Colombia’s Daniela Paez tees off at the 1st hole during the second round of the Women's Amateur Latin America championship in Mexico.