Millionaire purse, key to Paris 2024 and with six nationals: details of the Chile Classic, the most important golf tournament in the country

The sixth version of the Astara Chile Classic is here. The country’s premier golf tournament begins this Thursday at the Prince Of Wales Country Club and will feature six national teams looking for victory. Among them, Cristóbal del Solar, who arrives in Santiago as one of the most notable names on the planet after his 57-round round in Bogotá.

And the Chilean marked a milestone by posting the lowest card in history at a PGA Tour-sponsored event. He did so in the first round of the Astara Championship, a tournament where he finished in fifth position. After that, he received an invitation to the Mexican Open and placed tenth at the Argentina Open. Present that he is one of the big favorites to lift the crown.

A possible national victory is a wish of the organization. “Our dream is that before 2026, when our contract expires, the tournament will be won by a Chilean. . I can’t predict it because no one is a guesser, but this year we have a chance to make this dream come true,” tournament director Alejandro Peric told Deportivo.

Among the 156 players who will participate in the event, six national players are present. A delegation that combines experience and youth. On the one hand there is Felipe Aguilar and Cristobal Del Solar which are names already established in the region, and on the other hand Matías Domínguez, Tomás Gana, Agustín Errázuriz and Gabriel Morgan , players who are still looking for their place on the most important circuits, but who stand out for their young age. Toto Gana is the only one of them over 30 years old.

Concerning the four young nationals who will be at La Reina, Peric also has words. The director, who has closely followed their careers, highlights the present they are experiencing and how a good result this week can help them achieve their goals. “They have a unique opportunity to reach the PGA in the short term. Nowadays, the number of professionals in the world and the high level they possess make access to the PGA very difficult. If they finish in the top 25 of this tournament, they will have the right to play in the next Korn Ferry (Savannah Golf Tournament) and the same there, then they can add points and then get the card,” mentions- he.

A path that could even be faster if someone manages to lift the trophy this Sunday. “By winning, he is almost certain to enter the PGA, he would need very few points . Being here is vital. The media exposure and experience these actors gain is remarkable,” he adds. Without going any further, Ben Kohles, tournament champion in 2023, is already today part of the highest category of the North American circuit.

In this group, perhaps the name that stands out the most is that of Agustín Errázuriz, who caused a sensation in December by winning the Chile Open. At 24 years old, he did not hesitate and ended up shouting champion in an event where he fought for the lead with Joaquín Niemann and where Mito Pereira was also present. It was even after this victory that the golfer spoke with La Tercera and highlighted the new faces that are appearing in national golf: “A very powerful young litter is coming, which is ours. I think ultimately this will be the future of Chile “.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games await their qualifications. In the case of Chile, there are two places it can access, so the fight for the last place is always hot. Joaquín Niemann has practically secured his place, the dispute is therefore reduced today to Mito Pereira and Cristóbal del Solar.

The LIV star is currently 145th in the world rankings and needs to keep adding points if he doesn’t want to lose ground. Since his league does not allow him this, he will have to continue to play tournaments on other circuits to accumulate units.

Del Solar, meanwhile, appears in position 221 on the planetary list. Something that could change radically with a victory in Santiago. “The number of points awarded by this tournament can define, for example, who is the second Chilean in the Olympic Games. . This level of importance is important,” explains Alejandro Peric to El Deportivo.

The player, however, is more cautious, specifying that the road to qualification is still long (they are defined on June 17) and that his gaze is not yet turned towards France. “I would love to participate in the Olympic Games, but it is difficult to set such a goal for the whole year. We cannot control what others do. If Joaco or Mito play well, they will deserve it. If I play well, I’ll deserve it . My goal is to continue playing at Korn Ferry and try to get up to the PGA level,” he admitted during the press conference preceding the start of the tournament.

Golf has always established itself as a large-scale sport. Week after week, this is evident with the incredible financial rewards that the winners of the most important circuits receive. A status that the Astara Chile Classic does not deny.

For 2024, the event has increased the sums it will raise and has become the sporting event with the largest monetary purse in the history of the country. In total, US$1,000,000 will be distributed to players who manage to pass the weekend cut-off. . A figure close to a billion pesos.

The measure goes hand in hand with the improvements that the Korn Ferry Tour is seeking for its players, especially after the arrival of the LIV and the migration of several PGA stars, convinced mainly by the juicy contracts offered.