Playa del Carmen, April 8, 2026.- A new star is joining the MÉXICO Riviera Maya Open. And she’s one who has just shown her true brilliance by winning the Augusta Women’s Amateur Championship, one of the most prestigious amateur golf tournaments in the world. Colombian María José Marín will compete in the Mexican tournament, representing Latin American golf alongside Mexicans Gaby López, María Fassi, Isabella Fierro, and Clarisa Temelo.
She joins Nelly Korda, the current world number two, and New Zealander Lydia Ko, Olympic champion at Paris 2024.
After competing in the traditional tournament, the 19-year-old returned to the University of Arkansas, where she is a junior.
Born in Cali, Colombia, Marín is having a standout season in U.S. collegiate golf. A two-time First Team All-American, she has several top-10 finishes in 2026, including a victory at the Clemson Invitational.
Last year, she was the NCAA Division I individual champion, won the Women’s Amateur Latin America (WALA) in Mexico, defended her title at the South American Amateur in Chile, made the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open and the Amundi Evian Championship, and was part of the international team at the Arnold Palmer Cup for the second consecutive year.
Now, the young player faces the challenge of the El Camaleón course, which left a favorable impression on the players who competed in the first edition.
Marín surprised everyone with her 14-under-par score, which made her the seventh champion of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and earned her two points in the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP). She now has 11 points, which is more than half of the 20 required to qualify for LPGA Tour membership, according to LEAP criteria.
The Colombian revealed after her victory that she will give some thought to turning pro. “This victory changes my goals a bit, but I think I’m going to stay on the same path of finishing my senior year at Arkansas, simply building on all the experience I’ve had… Well, I still have one more year left in this [NCAA] tournament, so all the experience I can gain from that final year and from my final year at Augusta will help me set my future goals,” she said.
Her victory at Augusta National Golf Club earned her the right to compete this year in the Chevron Championship, the Amundi Evian Championship, the U.S. Women’s Open, and the AIG Women’s Open, provided she maintains her amateur status. She also receives a special exemption for the Standard Portland Classic.
The MÉXICO Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba will be held from April 27 to May 3 at the El Camaleón course in Mayakoba, with a prize purse of $2.5 million.
