Surrey’s Annabel Peaford made history by becoming the youngest-ever winner of the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Championship as 24 of the finest elite junior golfers from Europe competed in the 2023 edition of the event held at Quinta do Lago in Portugal.
The 14-year-old, a member of Walton Heath Golf Club, led from the start of the 54-hole girls’ tournament held on the resort’s prestigious South Course.
In the boys’ tournament, Morton Bailey, 17, from West Hove Golf Club in East Sussex, took the lead early and never wavered despite Connor Graham – the Scot who, in September, became the Walker Cup’s youngest ever player – chasing him all the way.
Sponsored for the fourth time by former winner Justin Rose, 12 girls and 12 boys competed across the three-round tournament from October 30 to November 3.
With victory, Peaford and Bailey join an illustrious list of previous winners which includes Rose, his European Ryder Cup-winning colleagues Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick, as well as Ladies European Tour stars Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Melissa Reid and Carly Booth, as a winner of the unofficial ‘major of junior golf’.
After her final-round 73 took her to three-under-par and a five-shot victory over Scotland’s Freya Russell and defending champion Sophia Fullbrook, Peaford said she was looking forward to calling her twin sister, Emily.
“I am off plus-four and Emily is off plus-three and we are very competitive,” said Peaford. “She is in school, but I know she was cheering me on and this means a lot to my family. Mum couldn’t be here, but Dad was, and he’s my coach, and I’m just really proud because everyone’s a lot older than me.
“I’ve just got into the English girls’ squad and it’s just really good to play alongside so many of them. This is a big advertisement for my game – a lot of people will see this. It’s just a great opportunity to have.”
Bailey, who won the West of England Under-18 Open earlier this year and is due to attend Louisiana State University from next summer, also led from the start of the tournament with a final round 69 moving him to seven-under and to a six-shot win over Moseley’s Phillip Krone.
“I was tense, because playing against someone of Connor’s ability, and the other guys, you know he can just turn it on at any time,” Bailey said. “It only takes a bogey or two to unsettle yourself. But I held strong and this feels awesome.’
He added: “My attitude coming here was to try and enjoy the experience and to try to give the other lads a run for their money. I think I did a bit more than that in end, which is great!”
