Valery Plata Wins Women’s Amateur Latin America Championship
11/21/2021 4:14:00 PM | Women's Golf
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State women's golfer Valery Plata (Floridablanca, Colombia/Colegio La Quinta Del Puente) came from behind on Sunday to win the Women's Amateur Latin America Championship, sponsored by the ANNIKA Foundation, at the Pilar Golf Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Plata was one of three Spartans playing in the event, which brings together the 60 best players in Latin America. She was joined by MSU teammates junior Nina Rissi (Barcelona, Spain) and sophomore Valentina Rossi (Rosario, Argentina).
A senior, Plata fired a four-round score of 12-under par 276 to finish one shot ahead of Maria Jose Marin, also from her native Colombia. Marin had led the final two rounds by two strokes, but posted a 5-over par 77 on Sunday, while Plata countered with a 1-under par 71 to come from behind.
Plata started the final round two shots back but fell behind Marin by four over the first 11 holes on Sunday. On the back nine, Plata had a birdie on the par-4 12th hole and then eagled the par-5 13th hole to move her into a position for the lead. While Marin struggled on the back nine, Plata went 2-under par and parred four of the last five holes to capture the win.
"It's such a great honor for Valery to have won the Championship and I couldn't be more proud of her," MSU Head Coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll said. "It was an honor for our program to have three players competing in the Annika Latin America, representing their countries and Michigan State University. Valery certainly showed grit and determination to come from behind and win."
The win in the event for Plata, who is first in the South American amateur ranks and was a semifinalist for the U.S. Women's Amateur last year, automatically qualifies her for two of the five Majors in 2022, the AIG Women's Open and the Evian Championship.
Rossi finished in third place in the field at even-par 288, posting a 5-under par 67 in the third round on Saturday. Rissi finished in a tie for 25th place with a score of 12-over par 300.
Plata was one of three Spartans playing in the event, which brings together the 60 best players in Latin America. She was joined by MSU teammates junior Nina Rissi (Barcelona, Spain) and sophomore Valentina Rossi (Rosario, Argentina).
A senior, Plata fired a four-round score of 12-under par 276 to finish one shot ahead of Maria Jose Marin, also from her native Colombia. Marin had led the final two rounds by two strokes, but posted a 5-over par 77 on Sunday, while Plata countered with a 1-under par 71 to come from behind.
Plata started the final round two shots back but fell behind Marin by four over the first 11 holes on Sunday. On the back nine, Plata had a birdie on the par-4 12th hole and then eagled the par-5 13th hole to move her into a position for the lead. While Marin struggled on the back nine, Plata went 2-under par and parred four of the last five holes to capture the win.
"It's such a great honor for Valery to have won the Championship and I couldn't be more proud of her," MSU Head Coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll said. "It was an honor for our program to have three players competing in the Annika Latin America, representing their countries and Michigan State University. Valery certainly showed grit and determination to come from behind and win."
The win in the event for Plata, who is first in the South American amateur ranks and was a semifinalist for the U.S. Women's Amateur last year, automatically qualifies her for two of the five Majors in 2022, the AIG Women's Open and the Evian Championship.
Rossi finished in third place in the field at even-par 288, posting a 5-under par 67 in the third round on Saturday. Rissi finished in a tie for 25th place with a score of 12-over par 300.
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