Alejandro Villavicencio closed as the national champion.
The Panamanian Omar tejeira conquered the 2021 International Golf Championship, that ran from Wednesday to Saturday last in the Mayan Golf Club, New Villa, with the participation of golfers from the United States, Argentina, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, China and Guatemala.
By Guatemala the best exponents of each club in the country, showing off and wasting talent in the senior and professional categories.
Tejeira finished his job with 284 hits, -4 under par, with the final two rounds catapulting him to the lead. The podium was completed by 2 Guatemalans, Alejandro Villavicencio, from the National Golf Association, and Jorge Meléndez, from El Pulté.
“Definitely for us, in addition to the weather conditions, we must also compensate for the height, because when calculating distances, you have to think about the number and not what you see, and we find a field very challenger all four days “the champion mused.
“Duck (Villavicencio) Today he didn’t have his best day and he shot 72, he really put pressure on me because he is a great player. If I had made a couple more birdies, it would have complicated my day more “Tejeira added.
Villavicencio and Meléndez maintained their own bid to determine the national champion (best Guatemalan). Villavicencio closed his card in 288 strokes and Meléndez did it with 3 more contacts (291).
“It was a very even game. This course is always complicated, and mainly because the wind was blowing the fairways and greens get firm and at any moment they take you out of control “Villavicencio said.
“In the national category it was a tough battle with Jorge Meléndez, who had tied me on the 16th hole, but thank God with 2 birdies I managed to make a difference, and I congratulate him because he played a very even tournament”, added the national.
“With this tournament the 2021 cycle closes and, by the end of January, I hope to do a good job in the Latin American Championship in the Dominican Republic”, he concluded.
The ladies’ team was conquered by the national Valeria Mendizábal Riepele, who returned to play a tournament in the country two years later, due to the pandemic. Mendizábal, who represented Hacienda Nueva Country Club, concluded the 4 rounds of the contest with 297 strokes, beating the Guatemalan Jasmine Youn, of the Mayan Golf Club, by 4 strokes; while the Costa Rican Chaewon Jeong closed her card with 313 contacts.
“I am happy to play in Guatemala again. I hadn’t done it since 2019. It took a while to adapt to the field, but I’m happy to have won and because of the learning. “Mendizábal reacted.
“When I started playing golf, it was just Pilar Echeverría and I, but now I am pleased to see that there are many young people who have been developing, and that is very good”, Valeria said.
“I just finished college; the other week is graduation, so I am finishing my cycle with the Mississipi State team and I will dedicate myself to playing the big tournaments “, finished the athlete.
In the professional category, the winner was Pablo Acuña, who totaled 296 strokes, over Luis Herrera (302) and Renato Tepaz (305), second and third, respectively.
Photo: Herbert García
