The 2026 Butterfield Bermuda Junior Championships concluded in dramatic fashion at Port Royal Golf Course, as Alabama’s SJ Thomas and Arizona’s Aubrey Hilgers emerged from a world-class field to claim two of the most prestigious titles in junior golf. On a day where the famous coastal layout “bared its teeth,” both champions produced composed sub-par rounds to secure their victories.
SJ Thomas, from Birmingham, Alabama, delivered a final-round masterclass. A three-under-par 68 propelled him to the summit of the leaderboard, making him the only player in the field to finish the tournament under par at two-under. His scorecard was a whirlwind of activity, featuring six birdies to offset a bogey and a double bogey, as he navigated the tricky back nine with clinical precision.
Georgia’s Charles David Beeson mounted a late charge with a matching 68 to finish second at three-over par. However, local headlines were dominated by Bermuda’s Oliver Betschart, who finished in a tie for third at five-over par. Betschart’s final-round even-par 71 delighted the home gallery and reinforced his status as one of the region’s most exciting rising stars.
The Girls’ Division provided an equally enthralling finish as Aubrey Hilgers from Surprise, Arizona, broke away from a three-way overnight deadlock. Hilgers carded a final-round one-under-par 70 to finish at eight-over par for the week. Her steady round included four birdies and eleven pars, allowing her to pull away from Annie Jin and Nikitha Suresh, who both finished tied for second at ten-over par.
It was a day of resilient displays for the remaining local contingent:
- John Bart secured a top-five finish, ending tied for fifth at six-over par after a final-round 73.
- Arman Newton saved his best for last, firing a two-over-par 73 to climb into a tie for 31st.
- In the Girls’ field, Darina Betschart finished 22nd at 39-over par after a testing final round.
As the curtain falls on another successful championships at Port Royal, the focus shifts to the future. For Thomas and Hilgers, the road leads back to the United States with major international exemptions and two of junior golf’s most coveted trophies in their luggage.
