The Round Up by juniorgolfHQ Vol. 1
The Round Up by juniorgolfHQ
February 2026
Hello World
At juniorgolfHQ, our mission is to keep subscribers up to date with the latest news from the junior golf circuit across the country. From tournament recaps and player profiles to monthly news and feature stories, we aim to spotlight the next generation of elite junior boys and girls.
As juniorgolfHQ is still in its early stages, we kindly ask our readers to please like and subscribe. More importantly, you are the community. We want to know what matters most to you. Your feedback is essential as we work to create the best possible content—not only for this newsletter, but across our social media platforms as well.
In this first edition, we will cover the Junior Orange Bowl as well as the New Years Invitational. Looking ahead, February will keep the momentum up with AJGA Simplify Boys Championship & The Fortinet Stanford Invitational!
You can find us at @juniorgolfHQ on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), and please don’t hesitate to reach out with ideas for future content you’d like to see
2026 January Major Junior Tournament Results
The Junior Orange Bowl
January 3-6, 2026
The Biltmore Golf Course
Boys Champion: Tomas Restrepo (2026)
Instagram post
As 2026 kicked off, Class of 2026 graduate Tomás Restrepo captured the Junior Orange Bowl International Championship at The Biltmore in Miami, Florida.
Currently ranked 114th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), Restrepo is committed to Ole Miss, where he will enroll this fall. He put together a remarkable 2025 season, competing in 19 WAGR-ranked events across multiple age divisions and recording 11 top-five finishes, including five victories. After what he considered a “disappointing” third-place finish at the 2025 Junior Orange Bowl, Restrepo returned with a purpose—claiming the 2026 title in convincing fashion.
Restrepo carded all four rounds in the 60s, highlighted by a third-round 64 that gave him a comfortable lead heading into the final round. A closing 2-under-par 69 secured a three-shot victory.
Restrepo’s dominance on the junior circuit is nearing its end—much to the relief of his competitors—as he turns his focus toward the amateur ranks and the SEC as an Ole Miss Rebel this fall.
He showed no signs of slowing down in the weeks that followed. Restrepo traveled to Lima Golf Club to compete in the Latin America Amateur Championship, where he finished T3, earning an invitation to The Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool, scheduled for July 15–20, 2026. Competing against more than 100 of the top golfers from across Latin America, the smooth-swinging 17-year-old played his way into one of the world’s most prestigious amateur events.
The Junior Orange Bowl
January 3-6, 2026
The Biltmore Golf Course
Girls Champion: Charlotte Naughton (2026)
Instagram post
On the Girls side, Charlotte Naughton, a future member of the Alabama Crimson Tide, blew the field away winning by 7 shots and one of only 4 girls to record a tournament score under par.
Naughton set a Girls scoring record, becoming the first to score 10-under-par in the tournament’s history. Considering past champions include Inbee Park, Brooke Henderson, and Lexi Thompson, the Englishwoman finds herself in rarified air.
While Naughton started out slow with an even par, 71 in Round 1, she recorded 3 consecutive rounds in the 60’s, and played her last 37 holes bogey free, 7 under par.
Naughton, ranked 109th in the WAGR rankings, will head to Tuscaloosa this fall. Naughton had an impressive 2025, notably winning the World Girls’ Junior, the German Girls Open, and competing for Team Europe at Bethpage Black for the Junior Ryder Cup.
The New Years Invitational
January 2-4, 2026
St Petersburg Country Club
Champion: Lucas Gimenez (2028)
Instagram post
The 100th playing of the New Year’s Invitational kicked off the New Year at St. Petersburg Country Club. While not a dedicated Junior event, Lucas Gimenez ‘28, took home a wire to wire victory.
Gimenez shot a blistering 5-under 66 in the opening round of the tournament, but the field chased him down by the 54th hole. A 6-way playoff ensued, where Gimenez and fellow Junior golfer, Chase Bauer eagled the first playoff hole. Gimenez kept his foot on the gas and closed out Bauer to complete the victory.
Gimenez, ranked 1,478th in the WAGR (prior to his win), was coming off a strong 5th place performance at the Jones Cup Junior Invitational, is poised for a very impressive season with his current form. With the victory, he earned himself a sponsor exemption to the LECOM Suncoast Classic, a Korn Ferry Tour event.
Gimenez presently remains undeclared, but undoubtedly college coaches across the nation will be scrambling to impress the Class of 2028 player. His impressive play at St Pete CC shows his competitors that even in his youth, Lucas is ready for the biggest stages in Amateur golf.
Up Next
AJGA Simplify Boys Championship
February 13-16, 2026
The Club at Carlton Woods (Fazio)
The AJGA Simplify Boys Championship at Carlton Woods returns to The Club at Carlton Woods (Fazio Championship Course) in The Woodlands, Texas, and once again brings together one of the strongest all-boys fields of the junior golf season. The 54-hole stroke-play invitational features a limited field of elite junior boys, with entry largely determined by Rolex AJGA Rankings and performance-based status. Year after year, this event attracts many of the top players in the country and has proven to be an early-season measuring stick for national-level junior talent.
The Fazio Championship Course presents a demanding test, requiring precision off the tee, disciplined iron play, and a confident short game. With a championship-caliber setup and a field packed with proven winners, the Simplify Boys Championship consistently delivers high-level competition and serves as a key exposure opportunity for players looking to establish themselves early in the year.
The Fortinet Stanford Invitational
February 13-16, 2026
Stanford Golf Course
The Fortinet Stanford Invitational Hosted by Rose Zhang returns to Stanford Golf Course in Stanford, CA. Widely regarded as one of the best university golf courses in the country, Stanford Golf Course has seen its share of golfing legends walk its grounds, including host Rose Zhang. This invitation-only event will bring together 71 elite junior girls based on performance-based status in AJGA events. Five of the Top 10 girls in the Rolex AJGA Rankings are currently scheduled to appear, including defending champion Asterisk Talley.
Stanford Golf Course, opened in 1930, was designed by George C. Thomas and Billy Bell Jr. Set at the foothills of Stanford University’s campus, the course presents an undulating challenge for players with dramatic uphill and downhill holes, requiring excellent ball placement critical to low scoring. Well-placed bunkers and natural hazards penalize aggressive play and reward strategic course management. The championship setup and a strong field, will deliver an excellent test for these elite junior players.
2026 “Major” Junior Golf Event Schedule
Junior Orange Bowl - January 2026 - Tomas Restrepo & Charlotte Naughton
AJGA Simplify Boys Championship - February 2026
The Fortinet Stanford Invitational hosted by Rose Zhang - February 2026
Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship - March 2026
Junior Invitational at Sage Valley - March 2026
AJGA Team TaylorMade Invitational - May 2026
The Nelly Invitational presented by Chevron - May 2026
Southern Junior Championship - June 2026
AJGA Wyndham Invitational at Sedgefield - June 2026
Women’s Western Junior Championship - June 2026
Western Junior Championship - June 2026
North & South Junior Golf Championship - June 2026
Rolex Girls Junior Championship - June 2026
RLX Ralph Lauren Junior Classic - June 2026
Wyndham Cup - July 2026
U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur - July 2026
U.S. Junior Amateur - July 2026
Boys Junior PGA Championship - July 2026
U.S. Women’s Amateur - August 2026
U.S. Amateur - August 2026
Junior Players Championship - September 2026
Junior Solheim Cup - September 2026
Junior Presidents Cup - September 2026
ANNIKA Invitational - October 2026
AJGA Ping Invitational - October 2026
Notah Begay Jr. Golf National Championship - November 2026
Rolex Tournament of Champions - November 2026
The Elite Invitational - November 2026
Junior Jones Cup - December 2026
The Sundae Scoop
As the junior golf season ramps up, we want to briefly share the vision behind juniorgolfHQ.
Much of the golf world is already well covered. Professional and NCAA golf receive extensive media attention, and the amateur circuit benefits from strong visibility—especially at the highest levels, where elite amateurs often overlap with the professional game.
In 2019, midamgolfHQ launched on Instagram to spotlight the often-overlooked mid-amateur game. Since then, the platform has expanded to include a newsletter and an X account, building a strong and engaged audience. Now operating under the nichegolfHQ brand, juniorgolfHQ and seniorgolfHQ are launching alongside midamgolfHQ as we continue to expand coverage across key segments of amateur golf.
We see a major opportunity with juniorgolfHQ as we launch our first newsletter today. Junior golf is producing an exciting wave of talent that will shape the future of amateur, collegiate, and professional golf. Our goal is simple: provide meaningful exposure to the players and tournaments competing at the highest levels of the junior game.
Just as important, we’re building a community. juniorgolfHQ will be an interactive platform highlighting achievements, telling stories, and featuring content like WITB (What’s In The Bag) and more.
juniorgolfHQ is built for you. Your feedback matters, and we welcome it as we work to create the best possible community for junior golfers, their families, and their coaches.
Until next time…
We love to feature our passionate Junior golf community. If you have a story, achievement, or event you'd like to share, send us a DM on our Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) @juniorgolfHQ
Until next month…..