Nieves leads Latin America Amateur

Second-round leader Julian Perico fell back as Puerto Rico’s Roberto Nieves and Brazil’s Fred Biondi surged on moving day Saturday at the Latin America Amateur Championship.

Nieves took the lead at at 7 under with a 2-under 70 and Biondi fired a tourney-best 65 to reach second place at the Teeth of the Dog course at Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic.

Perico, an Arkansas senior who held the second-round lead with a tournament-record 9-under par fell back to a tie for 11th after shooting an 80. The Peruvian Perico is fourth among the Razorbacks in the field.

First-round co-leader Segundo Oliva Pinto, an Arkansas senior, shot a 73 and is tied for third with Argentine countryman Vicente Marzilio and Arkansas Tech sophomore Santiago De La Fuente who shot an even-par 72 at 5 under.

Razorback junior Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira, winner of last week’s South American Amateur, also had a 1-under 73 and is tied for ninth at 2 under with Arkansas freshman Juan Camilo Vesga. The Columbian carded a 71 on Saturday.

Razorback sophomore Manuel Lozada matched Perico’s 8-over 80 and is tied for 48th at 12 over for the tournament.

Defending champion Abel Gallegos of Argentina is tied for 17th at 1-over 217.

Lozada will tee off at 8:46 a.m. Central today from the 10th tee, while the other Razorbacks will go off the first tee.

Perico’s group will tee off at 8:24 a.m., followed by Fernandez de Oliveira’s group at 8:36 and Vesga’s group at 8:46 a.m. Pinto will play with De La Fuente in the penultimate pairing at 8:57.