The Annual Junior Golf Championship remains an important fixture on the RSGC calendar, providing junior golfers with the opportunity to compete under championship conditions while gaining valuable tournament experience. The 2026 Championship was contested over two days of stroke play on the Old Course on Saturday and Sunday mornings, 3 and 4 January 2026, and was open to children of Members with a valid WHS Handicap Index (Boys: 21.1 and below; Girls: 32.8 and below).
In the Boys category, Kenta Izawa emerged as Champion with a gross score of 162, finishing ahead of Danial Novan, who placed runner-up on 182, and also claimed the Best Nett prize with 140 nett. In the Girls category, Iona Paterson secured the Championship title with a gross score of 179, followed by Chang Ji Yu as runner-up on 188, while Olivia Iman Lim Su-Ji took the Best Nett award with 147 nett.
Following two rounds of stroke play on the Old Course, we caught up with both champions below to reflect on their wins, their experiences at RSGC, and their junior golf journeys.
BOYS CHAMPION – KENTA IZAWA
Congratulations on your first Club Championship title — what was your immediate reaction?
I felt relieved that I was able to earn this award at one of the most prestigious golf courses in Malaysia. Considering this was my last year before moving away for further studies elsewhere, being able to fortify myself in the history books alongside previous champions of this event is a pure and precious memory that I will cherish. However, with that being said, my ultimate goal is the Men’s Annual Club Championship, and I believe this event paves a critical path to understand what is at stake when it comes to competitions for junior golfers.
Which part of your game improved the most leading up to this Championship?
Although it may sound platitudinous, I felt that with the course conditions that demanded precision and accuracy, my mental game has prevailed above all other factors. The sudden urge and human tendency to throw a tantrum when you lose a ball is an experience all golfers have faced, but being capable of shifting the focus onto the next shot by maintaining composure and staying resolute is what I believed kept me sane.
Was there a particular hole or round that defined your win?
I believe that the first round of 77 secured me the win. With a 12-stroke lead heading into the second day, I knew that victory was at the palm of my hands.
How have club competitions helped you grow as a golfer?
I have participated in club competitions ever since I was a little kid, and each of these competitions have led to this moment. It is safe to say that junior medals and men’s monthly medals act as a continuum for the success that you will eventually find if you put in the work. Club competitions are a true test of mental and physical capabilities on the golf course, given a set pressure at hand. These events have developed me into a golfer that understands the mental aspect of the game a lot more, and how being fixated over a missed shot constitutes extended failure and frustration.
What message would you share to encourage more juniors to join Club competitions?
If my voice were to be heard to parents and their current junior golfers, it’s that club competitions not only serves justice to enhance your golfing skills, but also these events can be extrapolated into our daily lives, and helps us build relationships and critical thinking skills in the midst of sudden challenges and problems that inevitably arise, whether at the golf course or at any social setting. For instance, much of the stress that I would have faced when met with loads of schoolwork and tests was alleviated through the persistence and endurance that I grasped at the golf course, playing in pressurelived situations.
GIRLS CHAMPION – IONA PATERSON This is your first Club Championship win — how does it feel to reach this milestone?
It feels really good, especially winning at such a prestigious and historic golf club.
Competing in one of your early tournaments at RSGC, how did the experience compare to competitions outside the Club?
I have been playing in regional tournaments since I was 13, although I took a break last year to focus on school. I am fairly used to competition, but I found RSGC to be a very challenging course, and this was my first time playing the Second Nine of the Old Course. RSGC is also a very well-organised club, and my father and I have been made very welcome by the members and staff.
What did this tournament teach you about handling pressure?
I have been exposed to pressure in previous competitions, and it definitely adds a few strokes to your card. It is never easy
Who has supported you most on your golf journey so far?
My father has played golf since he was a junior and was the one who introduced me to the game. Both my grandparents were also club captains in Scotland. Winning at RSGC was especially meaningful as it happened exactly one year after my grandmother passed away.
What would you say to encourage more juniors to take part in Club competitions?
Golf is a fun game, and competitions definitely make you a better player. The more juniors who take part, the more fun and competitive the experience becomes.
Kenta’s and Iona’s performances at this year’s Championship reflect not only their golfing ability, but also the confidence, discipline and maturity developed through regular participation in Club competitions.
As RSGC continues to nurture junior golfers, achievements such as these highlight the importance of providing young players with opportunities to compete, learn and grow.
Congratulations to Kenta Izawa and Iona Paterson on their welldeserved victories, and well done to all juniors who took part in this year’s Championship.
