2026 SPANISH CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR CHILDREN, UNDER 12 AND UNDER 10s – JUAN ANTONIO ANDREU MEMORIAL
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.Sergio Vargas, Cornelia Bermudo, Dmitrii Elchaninov, Inés Gómez-Balboa, Alonso Pardo, Gonzalo Bernal and Paula Casas are all in contention this Sunday from the top of the standings… but everything is still to be decided.
Sergio Vargas's 66 and Cornelia Bermudo's 69 made a statement, the relentless and surprising consistency of young Paula Casas, the holes-in-one—yes, plural—of the talented Dmitrii Elchaninov and Carleto Pérez… The second day of the 2026 Spanish Junior, Under-12, and Under-10 Championships – Juan Antonio Andreu Memorial – revealed the true brilliance of the tournament at the Real La Manga Club and Serena Golf courses in Murcia, where the grand finale will take place this Sunday.
So far, the tournament is dominated by the under-14s Sergio Vargas and Cornelia Bermudo, the under-12s Dmitrii Elchaninov and Inés Gómez-Balboa, and the under-10s Alonso Pardo, Gonzalo Bernal, and Paula Casas. Tonight is a night for dreaming, and they're sure to do just that, capping off what has already been a perfect week this Sunday.
And after a great day of competition like today, one of the week's most magical moments took place. Keeping with tradition, after the second round, the best putting contest on the planet was held. The best? Well, maybe we got a little carried away, but it's undoubtedly the most fun. It was the perfect end to another great day of golf in Murcia.
CHILDREN'S CATEGORY: Outstanding day for Álvaro Vargos, Cornelia Bermudo, and Álvaro Mateu
Sergio Vargas is on fire! Leading after the first round, he extended his lead even further after the second thanks to a magnificent 66 (-6), putting him in a commanding position. However, he'd be wise not to underestimate fellow Madrid native Álvaro Mateu (-4). Consider this: on Saturday, the two of them carded eleven birdies between them… without a single bogey. Pedro Tineo and Miguel Rona, in third place at -1, are waiting for Sergio and Álvaro to open the door for them.
The women have also caught fire. Cornelia Bermudo (-2) has turned the leaderboard upside down and leads by one stroke over Sofía Gamilla. This was made possible by a near-perfect 69 (-4): a bogey on the 1st and five birdies from there, which could have been six were it not for a 360-degree bogey on the 18th. This Sunday, Cornelia and Sofía will battle it out for the title… while keeping a close eye on Andrea Arnal (+1), among other strong players.
YOUNGSTERS: From equality in the women's game to Dmitrii's statement of intent
Another category impossible to predict is the Girls' Under-12. The culprits? Inés Gómez-Balboa (+12), Candela Visus (+13), Isabella Cabezas de Herrera (+14), Martina Tirado (+15),… With eighteen holes remaining, the competition is incredibly close. On this second day, the best rounds were posted by Martina Tirado herself and Lanhexue Luo, both with 77 strokes.
Let's talk about the guys. Dmitrii Elchaninov (-2) is a guarantee of good rounds, and he proved it this Saturday with a round of 69. Watch his start: birdie – eagle – birdie. He'll be in the lead on Sunday, three strokes ahead of Jaime de Wint and six ahead of Theo Oderinde.
BENIMINS: Paula Casas continues at even pace; equality among the boys
If a junior golfer shooting par on her first day of the Spanish Championship is an impressive result, imagine what it will be like to shoot ANOTHER PAR on the second round. We're talking, of course, about Paula Casas, who is quickly establishing herself as a top player. Her round was so productive that Amahle Mdlulwa's 36 – another great result – wasn't enough to reduce the ten-stroke lead held by the golfer from Castile and León.
The men's category is shaping up to be much closer, with Alonso Pardo and Gonzalo Bernal tied for the lead, and Mauro Boluda and Santiago Viera just one stroke behind. Ten players are within four strokes of each other, so don't waste any time making your predictions. May the best player win!
THINGS FROM THE CHILDREN'S CENTER
Juan and Claudia, (possibly) the best kickers in Spain
5:30 PM. The matches for the youngest players have finished, and they all eagerly await the short game specialists Felipe Rodríguez and Borja Nieto to divide them into nine groups for the putting competition, a wonderful tradition that must be maintained. The winners? Claudia Bermudo (-2 on the circuit) and Juan Briz (-1).
The fingerprint album: an indelible memory
The best prize in the Junior category isn't the trophy the winners receive, nor the beautiful driver case all participants take home (this year's red one is all the rage). The best prize is the fingerprint tree the Spanish champions in the youngest age group receive; that is, a framed picture where every participant in the competition has left their fingerprint. An unforgettable keepsake.
Álvaro Quirós, an illustrious father
Among all the parents waiting on the west course at La Manga Club for their children to finish the second round of the Spanish Junior Championship was a distinguished guest, Álvaro Quirós, who didn't want to miss his sons Álvaro and Martín's first experience in the tournament. There, he wasn't a seven-time DP World Tour champion, nor a golfer who had competed in majors and even led the Masters; there, he was 'just' another proud father enjoying watching his boys have fun.
“They’ve come here to have a good time, enjoy a great experience, and meet other kids from different places who also love golf. I hope they take away memories as good as the ones I have from 1997,” Álvaro said.
The day of the 'hole in one'‘
Dmitrii Elchaninov. Junior. Russian. A real pro. He got the first hole-in-one of the tournament. It came on the 2nd hole with a masterful shot, a 54. "I didn't celebrate too much, the important thing is the final result," he said, much to the astonishment of one of his playing partners.
But that's not all: an hour later, another youngster, Carleto Pérez from Valencia, sank a 6-iron on the 13th hole. He celebrated in style. "I started shouting and jumping around like crazy. If I get another one tomorrow, I'm going to start thinking I have to go to the PGA Tour," he said, laughing.
FINAL RESULTS
Boys
1.- Sergio Vargas 135 (69+66)
2.- Álvaro Mateu 140 (73+67)
3.- Pedro Tineo 143 (71+72)
+.- Miguel Rona 143 (71 +72)
Girls' Junior
1.- Cornelia Bermudo 144 (75+69)
2.- Sofia Gamilla 145 (73+72)
3.- Andrea Arnal 147 (74+73)
Boys' Under-12
1.- Dmitrii Elchaninov 140 (71+69)
2.- Jaime de Wint 143 (70+73)
3.- Theo Oderinde 146 (73+73)
Girls' Under-12
1.- Inés Gómez-Balboa 154 (76+78)
2.- Candela Visus 155 (75+80)
3.- Isabella Cabezas de Herrera 156 (77+79)
Benjamin Male
1.- Alonso Pardo 76 (40+36)
+.- Gonzalo Bernal 76 (39+37)
3.- Mauro Boluda 77 (41+36)
+.- Santiago Viera 77 (38+39)
Benjamin Female
1.- Paula Casas 70 (35+35)
2.- Amahle Mdlulwa 80 (44+36)
3.- Martina Botana 81 (42+39)
+.- Aitana Puerta 81 (39+42)
