England Golf Women's Squad star Charlotte Naughton kicked off 2026 in style with a record-breaking victory at the Junior Orange Bowl at Biltmore Golf Course in Florida, USA.
The Longhirst Hall golfer shot a mesmerising -10 across the four days to win by an enormous seven shots, adding to her World Junior Girls Championship (Canada) and German Girls' Amateur Championship victories in 2025.
Her final round of 69 was enough to see her become the first girl to finish at 10-under across four rounds at the event.
“I’m very pleased with myself,” said Charlotte, who had to execute a dicey chip-and-putt from the base of a greenside mound for birdie at the par-5 18th.
“I didn’t know it was for a tournament record when I had that putt, but it was a nice way to finish.”
Her total of 274 was one shot better than fellow English winner Lily May Humphreys when she claimed the 2017 crown. Naughton’s seven-shot margin of victory also was the largest since Humphreys’ nine-shot romp.
In the boys' event, England's Ben Sessions finished tied-24th with Colombia’s Tomas Restrepo landing the title.
The newly crowned champions join a roster of such Junior Orange Bowl International royalty as Hall of Famers Tiger Woods (1991) and Inbee Park (2002), along with LPGA major winners Lexi Thompson (2009) and Brooke Henderson (2013), and seven-time LIV Golf winner Joaquin Niemann (2014).
“It was very, very, very big,” said Naughton. “I've only played in the U.S. twice, so it’s very cool to win in America. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of.”
Naughton played each of her final two rounds without a bogey, a streak that ran 37 holes in all to a bogey at No. 17 in Sunday’s second round. Go back a little farther, and she made just the one bogey over her final 47 holes.
“This course, you have to give it some respect because it’s so challenging,” she said. “I made sure I saved myself when I could and took birdie chances when I could, but I didn’t get too aggressive.”
Naughton hit all but two greens in regulation, managing par saves at both. Her toughest came at the par-4 16th hole, left with a fried-egg lie in a greenside bunker. But she blasted out to 20 feet, then drained the uphill putt to keep her streak going.
“That was quite big,” she said. “I just wanted to get it within the range so I could have a chance to make par.”
Nobody else could manage to keep up. Nina Choe, who held the lead until a disastrous closing hole on Monday, bounced back with a solid 72 to claim runner-up honours.
“I just didn’t have my strongest game today,” the New Yorker said. “I left a lot of putts out there all day, but she (Naughton) played great and she deserves the win.”
This year’s field featured entrants from 37 different nations, including Lithuania, Bermuda, Romania, Singapore, Paraguay, Iceland, Zimbabwe and Turkey.
The Golf Championships are among nine athletic, artistic and cultural events that make up the Junior Orange Bowl International Youth Festival, which marks its 78th edition in 2025-26. The festival draws more than 7,500 youth participants to South Florida’s community each year. For more information on the Golf Championships or other Junior Orange Bowl activities, visit JuniorOrangeBowl.org.
Her final round of 69 was enough to see her become the first girl to finish at 10-under across four rounds at the event.
“I’m very pleased with myself,” said Charlotte, who had to execute a dicey chip-and-putt from the base of a greenside mound for birdie at the par-5 18th.
“I didn’t know it was for a tournament record when I had that putt, but it was a nice way to finish.”
Her total of 274 was one shot better than fellow English winner Lily May Humphreys when she claimed the 2017 crown. Naughton’s seven-shot margin of victory also was the largest since Humphreys’ nine-shot romp.
In the boys' event, England's Ben Sessions finished tied-24th with Colombia’s Tomas Restrepo landing the title.
The newly crowned champions join a roster of such Junior Orange Bowl International royalty as Hall of Famers Tiger Woods (1991) and Inbee Park (2002), along with LPGA major winners Lexi Thompson (2009) and Brooke Henderson (2013), and seven-time LIV Golf winner Joaquin Niemann (2014).
“It was very, very, very big,” said Naughton. “I've only played in the U.S. twice, so it’s very cool to win in America. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of.”
Naughton played each of her final two rounds without a bogey, a streak that ran 37 holes in all to a bogey at No. 17 in Sunday’s second round. Go back a little farther, and she made just the one bogey over her final 47 holes.
“This course, you have to give it some respect because it’s so challenging,” she said. “I made sure I saved myself when I could and took birdie chances when I could, but I didn’t get too aggressive.”
Naughton hit all but two greens in regulation, managing par saves at both. Her toughest came at the par-4 16th hole, left with a fried-egg lie in a greenside bunker. But she blasted out to 20 feet, then drained the uphill putt to keep her streak going.
“That was quite big,” she said. “I just wanted to get it within the range so I could have a chance to make par.”
Nobody else could manage to keep up. Nina Choe, who held the lead until a disastrous closing hole on Monday, bounced back with a solid 72 to claim runner-up honours.
“I just didn’t have my strongest game today,” the New Yorker said. “I left a lot of putts out there all day, but she (Naughton) played great and she deserves the win.”
This year’s field featured entrants from 37 different nations, including Lithuania, Bermuda, Romania, Singapore, Paraguay, Iceland, Zimbabwe and Turkey.
The Golf Championships are among nine athletic, artistic and cultural events that make up the Junior Orange Bowl International Youth Festival, which marks its 78th edition in 2025-26. The festival draws more than 7,500 youth participants to South Florida’s community each year. For more information on the Golf Championships or other Junior Orange Bowl activities, visit JuniorOrangeBowl.org.
ENDS
Contact details:
Tom Vale, Press & Media Manager
Tel: 07912 240850
Email: tom.vale@englandgolf.org
www.englandgolf.org
Contact details:
Tom Vale, Press & Media Manager
Tel: 07912 240850
Email: tom.vale@englandgolf.org
www.englandgolf.org