From South Korea to Santa Lucia: Cho Finds Redemption as a 14-Year-Old Announces Himself

Storm-force winds and a washed-out round tested a field from more than 20 countries at the NXXT Faldo Florida Open, where a 14-year-old pushed the Boys champion to a playoff and the low round of the entire championship belonged to Colombia's Cristina Alvarez.

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - October 26, 2026 - Some weeks you remember for the champions. This one you remember for the fight. An international field of more than 40 juniors from over 20 countries came to Santa Lucia River Club, a demanding Jack Nicklaus design, and the weather turned a hard test harder. Heavy rain saturated the course and washed out an entire round, reducing the championship to 36 holes, and the final round was played into winds gusting past 35 mph. Four champions came through it, and the stories ran deep on both sides of the draw.

Boys 16-19: Cho's redemption, and a 14-year-old's statement

Tony Cho came to the United States this month to test his game on American soil, and the South Korean had already learned how thin the margins can be, falling in a playoff at an NXXT event earlier in the month to Dublin's John Moran. At Santa Lucia he wrote the ending he wanted, and he had to beat one of the most remarkable young talents on the tour to do it. At just 14 years old, Dublin's Eilgin Michael was not even competing in his own age group. He was playing up, against the 16-to-19-year-olds, and he matched Cho shot for shot over 36 brutal holes. The two finished tied at 150 (+6), and Cho prevailed in the playoff. Cho led the entire championship with nine birdies for the week. Michael, a four-time NXXT competitor this month who had already secured his exemption to the NXXT Faldo North American Championship at Bobby Jones a week earlier, served notice that he belongs on any leaderboard, in any age group. Matyas Jirasek of the Czech Republic finished third at 154.

Girls 16-19: Cristina Alvarez posts the number of the week

If the boys supplied the drama, Cristina Alvarez supplied the best score of the championship. The Bogota, Colombia, teenager posted rounds of 75 and 74 for a 149 (+5), the lowest 36-hole total of any player in the field across all four divisions, and won the Girls 16-19 division by five. In a week when the course and the weather punished nearly everyone, Alvarez stayed composed and in control from the opening tee shot to the last. Nina Fischer of Key Biscayne, Florida, was the closest pursuer at 154, with Amelie Siozilova of the Czech Republic third. The division alone drew players from Colombia, the Czech Republic, Chile, Hong Kong, Denmark, Jordan and Taiwan, a snapshot of the global reach the Faldo Series pathway now brings to American soil.

Girls 12-15: Mykayla Dick's comeback

The Girls 12-15 title produced the comeback of the week. Mykayla Dick of San Antonio, Texas, opened with an 80 and trailed, then answered when it counted. Her closing 74, carved out in the heaviest wind of the championship, was the low round in her division by three full shots and lifted her to a 154 (+10) and a three-stroke win over Olivia Ann Barnes of Saint Johns, Florida. Amy Grace Blattmann of Switzerland finished third. On a day much of the field was simply trying to survive, Dick went out and attacked.

Boys 12-15: Sultan Alrashed, and a sign of things to come

Sultan (Blue) Alrashed of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, opened with a 74 and closed at 154 (+10) to win the Boys 12-15 division by three over Andrew Haas of Leesburg, Virginia. His brother Tommy (Suttam) Alrashed finished third, a memorable week for the Riyadh family and a telling one for the game. As Saudi Arabia continues to invest heavily in developing its junior golfers, the Alrashed brothers are a sign of the talent beginning to emerge from the Kingdom, and the NXXT Faldo Junior Tour is proud to give that next generation a global stage.

Exemptions and ranking points

Each division champion earned an exemption to the NXXT Faldo North American Championship at Streamsong Resort. Tony Cho and Cristina Alvarez, the two 16-19 champions, also earned valuable World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, a meaningful step for juniors building their standing on the world stage.

"This is what we set out to build. A stage where juniors from more than 20 countries test themselves against each other in real championship conditions, with a clear pathway in front of them," said Stuart McKinnon, President and CEO of NXXT Golf. "Each of these players is chasing something bigger, and that road runs straight through our North American Championship at Streamsong."

As the Official North American Tour Partner of the Faldo Series, the NXXT Faldo Junior Tour connects its players to a global pathway created by Sir Nick Faldo, with WAGR-ranked competition and a route toward the Faldo Series Grand Final. The 2026 season continues toward the NXXT Faldo North American Championship at Streamsong Resort.

Congratulations to our four champions, and to every player who stood in the wind and kept competing.

About NXXT Golf

NXXT Golf delivers elite women's professional and developmental golf through an integrated competitive pathway. Its platform includes the NXXT Women's Pro Tour, defining the path to the LPGA and Epson Tour; the NXXT Faldo Junior Tour, the Official North American Tour Partner of the Faldo Series; and the NXXT Battle League.

Media Contact: Stuart McKinnon, President and CEO, NXXT Golf, stuart@nxxtgolf.com