Odwin and Marín Share Late Third-Round Lead as WALA Heads for Sunday Finish in Tulum

TULUM, Mexico — Another Tight Turn at the Top

Moving day has lived up to the name at the 2025 Women’s Amateur Latin America (WALA) Championship, where the leaderboard remains crowded and volatile late Saturday at PGA Riviera Maya.

With Round 3 wrapping up, Emily Odwin (Barbados) and María José Marín (Colombia) are knotted at 7-under-par and still on the course, each playing steady golf in demanding coastal conditions. The pair were also tied at the halfway mark, and their ability to keep the field at bay through 54 holes has set up a high-stakes Sunday showdown in Mexico’s first-ever hosting of WALA.  

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Leaders Holding Serve

Odwin, 21, has been a model of patience all week and is again in position to improve on last year’s runner-up finish. Her third round has been clean and controlled, keeping her in a share of the lead as the final stretch approaches.

Marín, 19, the top-ranked player in the field (No. 8 WAGR entering the week), has matched Odwin shot-for-shot through three rounds. After a birdie-heavy but uneven Friday, she’s steadied the ship Saturday and remains squarely in the hunt for her first WALA title.  

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Chasing Pack: Elwin Sets the Target, Saldaña Right There

In the clubhouse, Krishny Elwin (Puerto Rico) posted the round of the day, a 69, to reach 214 (-2) and secure solo third for now. Her surge gives Sunday real bite, especially if the leaders wobble late today.

Just one behind Elwin, Alexa Saldaña (Mexico) continues to thrive under home-country pressure. Following rounds of 72-70, she added a 73 Saturday to sit at 215 (-1). With the galleries behind her and a final round still to play, Saldaña is positioned for a legitimate closing run.

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Other Contenders Still in Play

A few groups deeper, Colombia’s Luana Valero is still on the course at even par overall, while Mexico’s Regina Jiménez Jardón and Isabel Amezcua (both 217 (+1)) and Chile’s Amelia Ruiz Topali (217 (+1)) have kept themselves within shouting distance if Sunday produces low scoring.

Defending champion Clarisa Temelo (Mexico) carded 76 in Round 3 and is now 222 (+6), needing something special on Sunday if she’s to repeat.

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The Stage and What’s at Stake

The fifth staging of WALA is being contested over 72 holes at PGA Riviera Maya, a Robert Trent Jones II design that has blended resort beauty with real competitive teeth. Heat, wind, and grainy greens have demanded smart strategy and stable nerves all week.  

And the prize is enormous: the champion earns exemptions into three women’s majors in 2026 — the Chevron Championship, Amundi Evian Championship, and AIG Women’s Open — making Sunday one of the biggest amateur closing rounds on the calendar.  

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Sunday Outlook

With Odwin and Marín tied and still finishing Round 3, the final-round script is wide open. Elwin’s 69 has applied real pressure, Saldaña is perfectly placed to chase in front of a home crowd, and several others remain close enough to take advantage if the leaders blink.

If the course continues to play firm and the afternoon heat stays heavy, WALA may come down to who manages the closing holes best — and who embraces the moment knowing major starts are on the line.