Being born on the island of Grand Cayman (part of a British Overseas Territory, the Cayman Islands) means that golf is not high on the totem pole of childhood activities. Kids on the Cayman Islands can be seen running on the track or swimming in the pool; most are not around the golf links. The same cannot be said about Justin Hastings.
Hastings frequented the sport of golf as a young boy and played in many competitive tournaments in his youth. He honed his talents on his home island and earned a spot on SDSU’s golf team; he has been a star ever since. His two-time All-Mountain West and two-time PING All-West Region honors are just a few awards the senior has accrued during his tenure as an Aztec.
There are only 27 total golf holes on Grand Cayman, so most golfers on the island know one another. Hastings recalls one of his companions competing and was mesmerized by what winning the Latin American Amateur Championship would present.
“I just remember my dad telling me that [Payten Wight] is playing in the tournament and if he wins, he goes to the Masters,” he shared. “It’s just like woah, hearing that as a 13 or 12-year-old was just such a weird thing for me to hear.”
Hastings found out that both rounds three and four of the Latin American Amateur Championship would be played on the same day. To most golfers, especially amateurs, that news is nerve-wracking; most don’t have the physical or mental fortitude to withstand 36 holes of highly competitive golf in one day. However, Hastings was more than up for the challenge.
“I do this almost every college tournament we play, we’ve played 36 holes in most of our tournaments,” said Hastings. “A lot of the guys I’m playing against are going to be gassed in that back 18 and it’s going to feel normal for me.”
Confidence was the name of the game for Justin Hastings in 2025’s Latin American Amateur Championship. He got his first crack at the tournament when he was just 14 years old. As he leveled up through the amateur golf world, Hastings gained more and more appreciation for the mental aspect of the game. He was thankful for the tournaments and wins he accumulated in his youth because of the unparalleled experience that was gained.
The sum of Hastings’ experiences and confidence was tested on the 17th tee box during round four at Pilar Golf Club in Argentina. The magnitude and pressure of finishing what he started was looming large before his 71st tee shot.
Before choosing what club to hit for the island green par-3, Hastings shared that he wrote something in his yardage book reading, “This is a character moment.” He wanted to prove to himself that he had what it takes to come through in the big moments, and he did. Hastings secured a momentous par that carried him to the finish line.

To accomplish such a feat at only 21 years old will only carry Hastings higher and higher, especially in the majors and other amateur tournaments in which he has received exemptions. He will tee it up in the 2025 Masters (Augusta National), US Open (Oakmont), Open Championship (Royal Portrush), US Amateur (Olympic Club) and British Amateur (Royal St. George’s and Royal Cinque Ports).
Hastings grew up very fond of the Masters, as well as the hallowed grounds of Augusta National Golf Club. He mentioned that he would miss school to indulge in Thursday’s round one coverage almost annually.
The highly-touted senior also mentioned that he grew up idolizing three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson and said being “able to be in the same field as him seems crazy.”
Another pro that Hastings is looking forward to competing against is SDSU alum Xander Schauffele.
“We see him every now and then at our home courses and with how much success he’s had in the last couple of years, being around him and just playing on the same level as him, or even with him, would be super cool.”
Besides the Masters, the Open Championship (which Schauffele won last year) also holds a little extra weight for Hastings. He played in a British Boys event at Royal Portrush and having any sort of familiarity with a golf course is always a leg up on the competition.
Royal Portrush, a stereotypical links-style golf course, sets up very well for Hastings’ game; every club other than driver and 3-wood tends to move right-to-left. A low draw is always a weapon at an Open Championship because of the firm and fast fairways, as well as the fact that the golf ball stays under the wind, which is almost always prevalent at Europe’s lone major tournament. Since the highest point of elevation on Grand Cayman is around 12 feet, Hastings is no stranger to the breeze.
“I am very comfortable in the wind, I love the low-ball. It’s something I’m willing to ride out for an entire week if I can,” Hastings noted. “I would not be opposed to the conditions being as difficult as possible.”
The Grand Cayman native does not shy away from challenging course setups or those that are highly-regarded. He mentioned that his favorite course of all time is the Alister MacKenzie-designed Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, CA. The Aztecs will journey up north to play Pasatiempo in San Jose State’s Western Intercollegiate.
Hastings will rely on his LAAC victory to steer him to victory throughout his spring college golf season and beyond. He believes that everyone has to learn to win and since he’s won on such a big stage, he can use the mental skills associated with winning in future meaningful moments.
After emerging victorious in Argentina, Hastings finished in a tie for second place in the Southwestern Invitational and also took home Mountain West Men’s Golfer of the Week honors. His next competition will take place on the island of Kaua’i at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate.
2025 will be a year of pursuits for Justin Hastings as he will be vying for a Mountain West Championship, a top-10 ranking on the PGA Tour University leaderboard (putting him on the Korn Ferry Tour), as well as his first made cut in a major tournament and hopefully his first major tournament victory. The ultimate pursuit for the 21-year-old senior is simple:
“The PGA Tour is the end goal. It always has been and I think it always will be for me.”