PANAMA CITY – Costa Rica's Alvaro Ortiz shot a 4-under 66 on Friday to take the second-round lead in the Latin America Amateur Championship.
The winner Sunday will receive an exemption to the Masters and spots in the final stage of qualifying for the U.S. Open and British Open.
Ortiz had a 3-under 137 total at Panama Golf Club.
Alejandro Villavicencio, a reinstated amateur from Guatemala, was a stroke back along with
Brazil's Herik Machado. Villavicencio shot a 73, and Machado had a 67.
Julian Perico, the 17-year-old from Peru who opened with a tournament-record 64, had a 75 to drop into a tie for fourth with Bolivia's Jose Luis Montano (72) at 1 under.
Defending champion Paul Chaplet of Costa Rica was tied for 28th at 6 over after a 75.
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