Carlos Ortiz, Abraham Ancer chase history at The Masters

Carlos Ortiz had just broken a 42-year drought last November at the Houston Vivint Open when he turned his attention to Augusta, Ga., and the Masters. For the first time since 1978, a native of Mexico had won a PGA Tour Event. 

The $1.26 million purse Ortiz earned at the Houston Vivint Open was obviously the key prize last November. But the ticket to the 2021 Masters Tournament was almost as significant for the older brother of the man who became the first Mexico native in 40 years to compete at the Masters in 2019.

Legends are made at the the Masters Tournament, after all. It doesn’t matter if you were born in Mexico as Ortiz was or from Augusta, Ga., or any other town in America. If you are a golfer you dream of competing at the Masters and earning the right to don the famous green jacket.

“It was very important for me because I couldn’t let my brother (Alvaro) be the only Ortiz to play in the Masters,” Ortiz, 29, said last Nov. 9. “Now he cannot tell me that.”

Carlos Ortiz follows younger brother Alvaro

Both of the Ortiz brothers broke four-decade golf droughts. 

🗣 I got my 🍑🍑 out in Georgiaaaaaaaa

Best drive in golf 😍 #TeamAncer @TheMasters pic.twitter.com/MFMJDvWmDE

— Abraham Ancer (@Abraham_Ancer) April 5, 2021

Ortiz’s younger brother Alvaro played at The Masters as an amateur in 2019. The University of Arkansas graduate became the first native of Mexico to play at the Masters since Victor Regalado in 1979. He earned his spot by winning the Latin America Amateur Championship in the Dominican Republic. 

Carlos Ortiz, who played the University of North Texas, earned his spot at the Masters by winning the Houston Open. He’ll be joined in the field by Abraham Ancer, who was born in McAllen, Texas, but raised in Mexico. 

Ancer, who played at the University of Oklahoma, entered the final day of the 2020 Masters in contention. He had a 76 on the final round to fall into a tie for 13th, but he was one of the best stories of the tournament.

Abraham Ancer could contend again

Now Ancer is even considered a sleeper pick to win the 2021 Masters. 

With Ortiz and Ancer, two Mexicans will compete at the Masters this week.

There are actually four Latin Americans playing at the Masters this week: Joaquin Niemann of Chile, Sebastian Muñoz of Colombia, Ancer and Carlos Ortiz.

Carlos Ortiz and Ancer are part of a growing contingent of Latinos making their marks in the PGA.

“That’s awesome,” Ancer said of the growing number of Latinos at the Masters. “I feel like Latin American golf is growing quite a bit in the last two years. Hopefully every single year we can make that even bigger.”

Alvaro Ortiz won’t be at The Masters this week. He’ll have to earn his spot later, but there’s optimism that he’ll join his brother and Ancer eventually.

There has now been a regular Mexican presence in The Masters’ field since Alvaro Ortiz broke Mexico’s 40-year drought.

“It’s very exciting. I feel like there’s a lot of young players coming that they’re still not on Tour,” Ancer said. “Hopefully in the next coming years we’ll have a lot more. I’m really pumped about that.” 

More Latinos are on the way.