Argentina’s Ela Anacona won the Women’s Amateur Latin America championship presented by The R&A and ANNIKA Foundation this weekend, securing a coveted spot in the first LPGA major of the year, The Chevron Championship, taking place at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas, April 18-21, 2024.
The 23-year-old delivered an outstanding performance on her home turf at Pilar Golf Club in Argentina this past weekend, securing victory and becoming the second Argentinian to claim the title after Valentina Rossi’s triumph last year. Holding a four-shot lead entering the final round, she sustained her lead with a final round three-under 69, ultimately winning the championship by an impressive 12 shots over Vanessa Gilly from Venezuela. Anacona, a fifth-year student at the University of Arkansas, will make her major debut at The Chevron Championship 2024.
Anacona commented, “I’m so excited but I think right now I want to soak everything in. I guess tomorrow I will realize I’m going to play in three majors. It’s exciting to be able to prepare for them.”
As part of its mission to provide greater access for amateurs to the professional game, The Chevron Championship offers six spots for qualifying amateurs from key international amateur tournaments. Among those already qualified are Germany’s Chiara Horder, the winner of the 120th Women’s Amateur Championship in June, and America’s Megan Schofill, who secured victory at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in August.
Horder, a 20-year-old from Baldham, Germany, secured a 7-and 6-victory over Annabelle Pancake at Princes Golf Club in Sandwich, England, becoming the third German to lift the trophy in six years. She made her major debut at the Amundi Evian Championship followed by an appearance at the AIG Women’s Open this summer. Recently, she transferred from Texas Tech University to Mississippi State University where she will study Marketing and be a member of the golf team.
Horder said, “I can’t wait to compete in The Chevron Championship next year. The doors that have opened for me since winning the Women’s Amateur Championship have been incredible. I’m also really looking forward to returning to Texas, where I studied for three years and having my friends come out to support.”
Schofill, the current 12th ranked amateur in the world, beat Latanna Stone, 4 and 3, in the 36-hole final held at Bel-Air Country Club in California. The 22-year-old from Monticello, Fla., is a graduate student at Auburn University, where she achieved three individual victories as part of the university’s golf team.
Schofill added, “The Chevron Championship will be my major debut and I couldn’t be more excited. This is such a huge opportunity for me and I am really looking forward to competing with so many amazing players on such a huge stage. Playing in majors has always been my dream, and the fact it’s actually happening next year is very surreal.”
Al Williams, Vice President, Corporate Affairs at Chevron, commented, “We are thrilled to offer six aspiring golfers an exemption into The Chevron Championship next year. These highly sought-after amateur spots are an integral part of this Championship and aligns with one of our core goals as title sponsor, which is to create a pathway for amateurs from diverse backgrounds to enter the professional game.”
The remaining amateur spots will be awarded to the winners of the 2024 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship which takes place at Thailand’s Siam Country Club in February, as well as the winners of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Chevron Silverado Showdown in April.
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