Iñaki de la Macorra Escobar is the 2026 Irish U16 Boys’ Amateur Open Champion after a thrilling final day of 36 holes in Holywood Golf Club, that also saw Tralee’s Rubén Rivas McHugh take the U14 crown
Guadalhorce’s starlet carded a stunning final round 65 (-5) to finish the championship on two-under par, four strokes better than Belvoir Park’s Jaxon Wardlow in second.
“I’m feeling very happy, played pretty good, especially today. Pretty happy and relieved to get a win here in Ireland, it’s very nice” said de la Macorra Escobar afterwards as evening sunshine fell on what was a day of mixed conditions.
With nine holes remaining, there was a four-way tie, as de la Macorra Escobar, Callum Reilly (The Island), Caelan Dhami (Walton Heath) and Sean Nolan (Dun Laoghaire) were all locked on one over par. Reilly’s four-under front nine had catapulted him into contention but a disappointing finish undid his charge, whilst the Spaniard came in with a bogey-free three-under back nine to seal the win.
“I stayed focused on the back nine, played pretty good. Middle of the green and managed to make some quite long putts.”
Iñaki’s success follows in the footsteps of his younger brother Eduardo, who won the Irish U14 Boys’ Amateur Open last year at Ballinasloe.
The U16 Champion shared his pride at replicating his sibling’s success, who wasn’t far from making it a double for the family today.
“It’s very cool, I’m very happy about that. He couldn’t win this year and defend his title, he came third, pretty good. But yeah it’s very nice that both of us get our names on Irish trophies”.
The Leading U15 gong went to home favourite Henry Campbell, who’s impressive final round 67 helped him finish fourth overall, whilst the Under 16 Best Net award went to Swinford’s Tom Horkan.
Meanwhile, Rubén Rivas McHugh claimed the 2026 Irish U14 Boys’ Amateur Open Championship after a final round 72 saw the youngster finish on even par, two shots clear of Ormskirk’s Leo Taylor in second place.
“Feels great, lovely to get it over the line after a solid second round put me in a good position to win in the final round. A lot of good competitors in the field so I was having to hold them back, a great experience”.
The Tralee teenager led by three heading into the final round after a scintillating 66 in the morning put him in pole position with 18 holes remaining, and the U16 Boys’ High Performance Panellist held his nerve.
“I was shaky because I knew the people behind me are good players so I tried to focus on making a couple of pars, try get a birdie and see where that puts me in the end”.
Securing this championship would have been all that more sweeter for Rivas McHugh, who in 2024 finished as both the Best Net and Leading U13 player in Banbridge, and so a return up North brought the one prize that had eluded him two years ago.
On this occasion, the Leading U13 prize was won by Spanish Point’s Oran Hehir, whilst it was Belvoir Park’s Joe McFerran who took home the Under 14 Best Net.
Up next for a lot of these players are the Underage Interprovincial Championships which get underway tomorrow at Holywood Golf Club.
