Jarryd Dillas is looking forward to pitting his skills against some of the best amateur golfers in the region at the upcoming Latin America Amateur Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The experienced and highly decorated golfer is one of two local players in the field, with fellow amateur Oliver Betschart also flying the island’s banner in the 72-hole stroke-play event.

“Next week will be my tenth LAAC, so I am very much looking forward to returning to the event and having the opportunity to compete alongside the best amateur golfers in the region again,” Dillas told The Royal Gazette.

“I am not sure how many more opportunities I will have to play at this level, so I am going to focus on enjoying the experience and try not to put too much pressure on myself to shoot a particular score.

“I am also excited to see Oli [Betschart] make his debut at the event. He is coming off a really nice showing at the Junior Orange Bowl in Florida and I am sure he will give a good account of himself next week.”

Betschart, 16, is equally thrilled to be making his debut in the championship.

“Playing in the Latin America Amateur Championship is an incredible honour and the biggest amateur golf event I have participated in so far,” he said.

“The course in Argentina is long, playing at 7,300 yards, which will definitely challenge every aspect of my game. Thankfully, coming off the Junior Orange Bowl Championship, where the course played at 7,100 yards, I feel well prepared for the demands of a longer set-up. Competing in such high-calibre events back-to-back has given me confidence in my ability to handle challenging conditions and adapt my game as needed.

“I am looking forward to representing my country in Argentina and making the most of this amazing opportunity.”

The tournament, which will see the eventual winner receive an invitation to compete in the Masters tournament as well as exemptions into The Open and the US Open, will be held at the Pilar Golf Club from January 16 to 19 and will feature top male amateurs from 29 countries and territories.

Pilar Golf Club is the home of the Argentina Golf Association and has previously hosted events such as the Argentina Open and Argentina PGA Championships.

“The inaugural event in 2015 was played at the same golf course – Pilar Golf Club – and I remember it setting up well for my game at the time, so I am eager to get down to Argentina and start practising ahead of next Thursday’s first round,” Dillas added.

The Latin America Amateur Championship was founded by the Masters Tournament, the R&A and United States Golf Association in 2014 to further develop amateur golf in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Betschart, the reigning Gosling’s Moongate Tour and Fecchio Cup champion, warmed up for this month’s tournament by competing in the recent Junior Orange Bowl International Championship in Coral Gables, Florida, where he finished tied for fifteenth.

“This event was great preparation for the Latin America Amateur Championship,” he said.

“I learnt a lot about the importance of staying patient under pressure and adapting to challenging course conditions.

“This experience has given me a clear idea of where I need to improve, particularly in having very clear intentions with every shot. With this being one of the longer courses I have played, I needed to focus on the misses, especially with the long par threes, picking a side of the green that would be easier to make pars up and down from.

“I am looking forward to building on these lessons and coming back even stronger.”