The 2024 Nico Open, held at the prestigious Club Campestre Llanogrande, solidified its status as a premier event in junior golf, drawing 86 boys and 44 girls from 19 countries. As the strongest American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) International Pathway Series (IPS) event in the World Amateur Golf Rankings for 2024, it boasted an impressive Men’s Power Rating of 176.834 and Women’s Power Rating of 173.2885. This international showcase not only highlighted top-tier talent but also served as a critical platform for young golfers to catch the eye of college coaches.
The Nico Open, spearheaded by PGA Tour professional Nicolas Echavarria, his brother Andres and primary sponsor Jungle Golf, has quickly become a cornerstone for aspiring golfers. “The AJGA is like the PGA Tour for kids under 19 years old,” Nicolas said in an interview at the 2024 World Wide Technology Championship. “We’ve had great success, and kids from all over the world want to come to my city and my club. Giving them the opportunity to be in the eye of college coaches is huge.”
The event’s impact is evident in the success stories of its past champions. Luca Gallingani, who competed in the 2023 Nico Open and won the event in 2024, went on to finish second at the 2023 Amundi Evian Senior Showcase (Senior Boys - Painted Desert). Days later, he signed a Letter of Intent with Kennesaw State University. Since joining KSU, Gallingani has excelled, earning the 2025 Conference USA Freshman of the Year title and a spot on the CUSA All-Freshmen Team. With a 72.50 scoring average across 10 events and 14 rounds at par or better, he finished the season as the league’s highest-ranked freshman at No. 461.
On the girls’ side, 2024 champion Maria Cardona, an ICL Academy student, continued her momentum with a 14th-place finish at the AJGA Panama Junior. The 2023 Nico Open champions also shone brightly. Maria Jose Marin, now a standout at the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, holds the No. 5 spot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR). Her junior career included a T18 finish at the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex, two top-15 finishes at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and a semifinal appearance at the 73rd U.S. Girls’ Junior. At Arkansas, she won the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Individual Championship, becoming the third Razorback in program history to claim the title, joining Stacy Lewis (2007) and Maria Fassi (2019).
Similarly, 2023 boys’ champion Erich Fortlage, also at the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, has made waves in collegiate golf. Leading his team with 14 rounds at par or better and eight rounds in the 60s, Fortlage earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors after winning the Palmas del Mar Collegiate. His best AJGA finish was a T11 at the Mayakoba Invitational.
Reflecting on the event’s growth, Andres Echavarria shared his excitement: “We can’t wait to host the 3rd Nico Open at the fabulous Club Campestre Llanogrande. We’ve chosen a new date this year so Nico can attend because having him interact with players is the most important thing for us; he does a fabulous job. We grew from 13 to 19 countries in the second year, and I am pushing for players from 25 countries to play the event. It’s amazing the quality of players we get, and that’s due to the South American federations sending us their best players.”
Nicolas emphasized the event’s mission in an interview on the Fairways of Life with Matt Adams Golf Show: “Hosting this event has been amazing. You can see how the kids are developing. In our first year, Maria Jose Marin won it, and she has been one of the best collegiate golfers since joining Arkansas. We hope to keep attracting college coaches to see more golfers in South America and Latin America so these kids can have an opportunity to play college golf, which is our main goal with this event.”
The 2025 Nico Open will be held September 18-20th with registration opening this week. Players who are 12 years old on the first day of competition, those who are under 20 years old on the last day of competition, and those who have not yet begun university studies are eligible to participate.
Learn more about the Nico Open at https://jungle.golf/tournaments/nico-open-2025 . For more information about the AJGA’s International Pathway Series, please contact Director, International Pathway Series, Patrick McGuire (pmcguire@ajga.org).
About the AJGA International Pathway Series (IPS)
The AJGA International Pathway Series (IPS) extends opportunities for junior golfers across the globe to compete in AJGA-sanctioned tournaments through our event operating partners to earn Performance Based Entry (PBE) Status. This PBE Status will create an International Pathway to gain entry into official AJGA tournaments in the U.S. and North America.
About JUNGLE
JUNGLE is the platform that connects young golfers from around the world with coaches and universities in the United States, facilitating their access to college golf through a comprehensive digital ecosystem. Through our membership and high-level tournaments, players can build their athletic profile, enriched with advanced statistics, performance videos, and key data that coaches need to assess their talent. Our partnership with the AJGA International Pathway Series (IPS) strengthens this commitment, ensuring that our players gain visibility in a globally recognized competitive circuit.