LA ROMANA, Dominican Republic —Brazil's Herik Machado is the sixth of seven children.
He lost his father at age 6, grew up impoverished, began caddying at age 9, mimicked the swings of players at the club using a broomstick, and was at age 10 invited to participate in a golf program for disadvantaged children.
Now 21 years old, he's either one week from Q-School or 18 holes from the Masters.
Two over for the week and eight back to start the day, Machado will enter Sunday at the Latin America Amateur Championship three off the lead, at 5 under par, thanks to a 7-under 65, which tied the lowest round of the week here at Casa de Campo.