BUENOS AIRES, Feb 17 — Amateur golfers will have the chance to earn a place at the 2021 Women’s British Open when the inaugural women’s Amateur Latin America championship is held in Buenos Aires in September, golf governing body the Royal & Ancient (R&A) said today.

The event, to be held at Pilar Golf Club from September 3-6, will have 72 holes of stroke play with 60 golfers set to be invited based on their World Amateur Golf Ranking. The winner will automatically qualify for next year’s Open.

"It’s important for us to provide the very best women’s amateur golfers in Latin America with opportunities to compete and excel at the very highest level,” R & A chief executive Martin Slumbers said in a statement.

"We have seen how the Latin America Amateur Championship has unearthed talents such as Abel Gallegos, Joaquin Niemann and Alvaro Ortiz.”

Former professional golfer Annika Sorenstam, who has sought to develop women’s golf worldwide through the Annika Foundation, said it was a "big day for golf in Latin America.”

"Offering the winner a place in the Women’s British Open speaks to the great strides we’ve made since our first Annika Invitational Latin America in 2016,” she said. — Reuters