KIA Open de Ecuador presentado por Diners Club: Pre-tournament storylines, players to watch, more

The PGA TOUR Americas season continues with the Kia Open de Ecuador presentado por Diners Club in Quito, Ecuador. The fourth event of the season features a 144-player field from 21 countries that includes the first three winners of the year: Patrick Flavin, Mason Greene and Cole Anderson. The field also includes three Ecuadorian players, with two-time South American Amateur champion Felipe Garcés and University of San Francisco alum Renato Naula making their professional debuts this week.

The Kia Open de Ecuador presentado por Diners Club was launched in 2014 and is now entering its 12th edition. In 2024, it received two PGA TOUR Americas awards for Best Tournament Brand Identity and Best Tournament Awareness, and in 2025, it was recognized for having the Best Pro-Am on Tour. Aside from the local hospitality, the altitude factor is one that makes this tournament unique. Quito is 9,350 feet above sea level, the thin air allowing for a farther ball flight that forces players to adjust their regular yardages between 10 and 15 percent.

Player notes

Jake Staiano (Denver, Colorado) came agonizingly close to forcing a playoff for the 2025 Kia Open title, watching a birdie putt on the final hole narrowly miss against good friend Jay Card III. The 29-year-old returns to Quito fresh off a bogey-free 8-under 64 — low round of the day Sunday — at the Diners Club Peru Open, where he tied for 20th.

Walker Lee (Houston, Texas) has already proven he can handle altitude, finishing just three shots off the lead in Quito last year (T6). He arrives with momentum after a strong week in Lima, where he got into contention and finished T5.

Patrick Flavin (Highwood, Illinois) saw his bid for back-to-back wins slip away with two late bogeys and an out-of-bounds tee shot in a playoff in Lima. Still, the hottest player on PGA TOUR Americas has gone a combined 38-under over his last two starts and brings that form to Quito Tenis y Golf Club.

Charlie Crockett (Surrey, England) is the only player with three top-10 finishes to start the season (T3/ECP Brazil Open, T10/Abierto del Centro Zurich, T10/Diners Club Peru Open). He was also one of just seven players to post four rounds in the 60s in Lima.

Charlie Nikitas (Glenview, Illinois) recorded his best PGA TOUR Americas finish at this event last year, shooting 12-under to tie for ninth. He is coming off a T17 at the Diners Club Peru Open, highlighted by a 7-under 65 on Sunday.

Felipe Garcés (Quito, Ecuador) will make his professional debut at this event via a sponsor exemption. The 2024 and 2026 South American Amateur Open champion has already shown he can contend here. As an amateur, he finished T27 in 2024—opening with a 64 to share the lead—and T19 in 2025.

PGA TOUR Americas points list

• 1. Patrick Flavin (United States)
• T2. Mason Greene (United States)
• T2. Cole Anderson (United States)
• T4. Brett Roberts (United States)
• T4. Patrick Sheehan (United States)
• 6. Charlie Crockett (England)
• 7. Joseph Winslow (United States)
• 8. Hunter Wolcott (United States)
• 9. Thomas Ponder (United States)
• 10. Mason Williams (United States)

At the end of the season, the top 10 players on the final PGA TOUR Americas Points List earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the 2027 season.

Since its inaugural season in 2024, PGA TOUR Americas has prepared players for success at the highest levels. Johnny Keefer (2024) and Michael Brennan (2025) each finished No. 1 on the PGA TOUR Americas Points List and continued progressing on the path to the PGA TOUR. Keefer earned his PGA TOUR card for the 2026 season after finishing No. 1 on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Points List, while Brennan earned PGA TOUR membership by winning the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship during the FedExCup Fall.