University of Houston Athletics
Santiago De La Fuente Ready for The Masters First Round on Thursday
4/10/2024 11:48:00 AM | Men's Golf
Senior All-American earned invitation after winning Latin American Amateur Championship in late January
AUGUSTA, Ga. – University of Houston Men's Golf senior All-American Santiago De La Fuente will make his first appearance at a major championship when he tees off in The Masters First Round at Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday morning.
De La Fuente earned his place in The Masters by capturing the title at the Latin America Amateur Championship at Santa Maria Golf Club in Panama City, Panama, in late January. He posted scores of 66-64 during the final two rounds to earn medalist honors by two strokes.
With his newest title, De La Fuente received an invitation to The Masters as well as exemptions to play in the 2024 U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club (Course No. 2) in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C., on June 13-16 and 2024 The Open Championship, set for Royal Troon Old Course in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland on July 18-21.
TUNE IN
Fans can watch Thursday's and Friday's action at The Masters live on ESPN from 2 to 6:30 p.m. (CDT) each day. ESPN will replay the First Round from 7 to 10 p.m., with highlights on CBS from 10:35 to 10:50 p.m., each day.
Fans also can watch live by visiting masters.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
For more information, fans can click here.
LIVE SCORING
Fans can follow live scoring from The Masters by clicking here.
TEE TIMES
For the first two rounds, De La Fuente will be paired with Jose Maria Olazabal and Taylor Moore.
That group begins Thursday's First Round at 9:42 a.m. (CDT) and tees off in the Second Round at 10:18 a.m. (CDT) Friday.
Complete tee times and pairings can be found by clicking here.
ABOUT SANTIAGO DE LA FUENTE
In 2023-24, De La Fuente has been a leader for the Cougars, posting team bests with a 70.61 scoring average and 14 rounds of par or lower, including eight in the 60s.
The Guadalajara, Mexico, native has earned Top-15 finishes in all but one tournament with Top-Five showings at All-American Intercollegiate (March 18-19), Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 29-31) and the Argent Financial Classic (Sept. 10-12, 2023).
He ranks second in Houston career history with a 70.43 scoring average.
This season, he leads the Cougars with a 69.33 scoring average and eight rounds under par in nine total rounds. He tied for second at the season-opening Argent Financial Classic at Squire Creek Country Club on Sept. 10-12, 2023, thanks to three straight sub-par rounds, and tied for fifth at 10-under 203 at the spring-opening Southwestern Invitational in Westlake Village, Calif., on Jan. 29-31.
De La Fuente joined the Cougars as a junior from Arkansas Tech for the 2022-23 season. He captured the American Athletic Conference Championships individual title with a score of 10-under 200 and was named the league's Player of the Year.
He received PING All-America Honorable Mention honors after leading the Cougars with a 70.71 scoring average with 26 rounds of par or lower, including 13 in the 60s. His season stroke total was the second-lowest mark in Houston single-season history.
HOUSTON MEN'S GOLF at THE MASTERS
Houston Men's Golf has a rich history at The Masters with three Cougars winning five championships.
Nick Faldo won the green jacket in 1996, 1990 and 1989 while Fred Couples captured the championship in 1992. Fuzzy Zoeller was the first Cougar to win The Masters, posting a score of 8-under 280 to defeat Tom Watson and Ed Sneed in 1979.
Dave Marr tied for second with Jack Nicklaus at 282 behind Arnold Palmer in 1964.
UP NEXT
Houston competes as a team in its final regular-season event when it tees off at the Thunderbird Intercollegiate at Papago Golf Club in Tempe, Ariz., beginning Friday.
From there, the team tees off in its first Big 12 Championships, set for April 22-24 at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity, Texas. The winner of the league's annual postseason event earns an automatic bid into the NCAA Regionals, set for March 13-15 at one of six sites across the nation.
SUPPORT the COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Golf by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective and by joining Project 17, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men's Golf for needs beyond its operating budget.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMGolf on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMGolf. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at uhcougarmgolf.
De La Fuente earned his place in The Masters by capturing the title at the Latin America Amateur Championship at Santa Maria Golf Club in Panama City, Panama, in late January. He posted scores of 66-64 during the final two rounds to earn medalist honors by two strokes.
With his newest title, De La Fuente received an invitation to The Masters as well as exemptions to play in the 2024 U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club (Course No. 2) in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C., on June 13-16 and 2024 The Open Championship, set for Royal Troon Old Course in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland on July 18-21.
TUNE IN
Fans can watch Thursday's and Friday's action at The Masters live on ESPN from 2 to 6:30 p.m. (CDT) each day. ESPN will replay the First Round from 7 to 10 p.m., with highlights on CBS from 10:35 to 10:50 p.m., each day.
Fans also can watch live by visiting masters.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
For more information, fans can click here.
LIVE SCORING
Fans can follow live scoring from The Masters by clicking here.
TEE TIMES
For the first two rounds, De La Fuente will be paired with Jose Maria Olazabal and Taylor Moore.
That group begins Thursday's First Round at 9:42 a.m. (CDT) and tees off in the Second Round at 10:18 a.m. (CDT) Friday.
Complete tee times and pairings can be found by clicking here.
ABOUT SANTIAGO DE LA FUENTE
In 2023-24, De La Fuente has been a leader for the Cougars, posting team bests with a 70.61 scoring average and 14 rounds of par or lower, including eight in the 60s.
The Guadalajara, Mexico, native has earned Top-15 finishes in all but one tournament with Top-Five showings at All-American Intercollegiate (March 18-19), Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 29-31) and the Argent Financial Classic (Sept. 10-12, 2023).
He ranks second in Houston career history with a 70.43 scoring average.
This season, he leads the Cougars with a 69.33 scoring average and eight rounds under par in nine total rounds. He tied for second at the season-opening Argent Financial Classic at Squire Creek Country Club on Sept. 10-12, 2023, thanks to three straight sub-par rounds, and tied for fifth at 10-under 203 at the spring-opening Southwestern Invitational in Westlake Village, Calif., on Jan. 29-31.
De La Fuente joined the Cougars as a junior from Arkansas Tech for the 2022-23 season. He captured the American Athletic Conference Championships individual title with a score of 10-under 200 and was named the league's Player of the Year.
He received PING All-America Honorable Mention honors after leading the Cougars with a 70.71 scoring average with 26 rounds of par or lower, including 13 in the 60s. His season stroke total was the second-lowest mark in Houston single-season history.
HOUSTON MEN'S GOLF at THE MASTERS
Houston Men's Golf has a rich history at The Masters with three Cougars winning five championships.
Nick Faldo won the green jacket in 1996, 1990 and 1989 while Fred Couples captured the championship in 1992. Fuzzy Zoeller was the first Cougar to win The Masters, posting a score of 8-under 280 to defeat Tom Watson and Ed Sneed in 1979.
Dave Marr tied for second with Jack Nicklaus at 282 behind Arnold Palmer in 1964.
UP NEXT
Houston competes as a team in its final regular-season event when it tees off at the Thunderbird Intercollegiate at Papago Golf Club in Tempe, Ariz., beginning Friday.
From there, the team tees off in its first Big 12 Championships, set for April 22-24 at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity, Texas. The winner of the league's annual postseason event earns an automatic bid into the NCAA Regionals, set for March 13-15 at one of six sites across the nation.
SUPPORT the COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Golf by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective and by joining Project 17, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men's Golf for needs beyond its operating budget.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMGolf on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMGolf. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at uhcougarmgolf.
– UHCougars.com –
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
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