A final that needed a playoff after 12 holes won apiece
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (AURA) retained France’s Interligues U12 — Challenge Bernard Martin title, winning the national junior regional-team competition for a second consecutive year. The 24th edition was held 21–24 October 2026 on the L’Aigle course at Le Golf National, Guyancourt, outside Paris.
In Saturday’s final, the defending champions faced Brittany (Bretagne). The four nine-hole pairs matches produced an aggregate 12–12 tie in holes won, so the title was decided by a playoff on 24 October. That distinction matters: 12–12 was neither a stroke total nor a count of matches won. Under this event’s unusual scoring system, each hole won in each pairs match contributed to the regional team’s total.
The French Golf Federation (ffgolf) reported that Brittany won the opening pairs match 7–1 on holes won. AURA responded 4–1 in the second match, the third finished 3–3, and AURA won the fourth 4–1. When the holes won were added together, both regions stood at 12. AURA then prevailed in the playoff to defend its title.
Storm Austen erased Friday’s play
Storm Austen forced the complete cancellation of play on Friday, 23 October, requiring organisers to rearrange the closing phase of the championship. The event nevertheless reached a conclusion on Saturday, 24 October.
The bronze-medal contest was just as close. Sud-PACA and Normandy each won nine holes across their four pairs matches, creating a 9–9 tie and another playoff. Sud-PACA won that decider and claimed third place.
The final top six were 1. Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes; 2. Brittany; 3. Sud-PACA; 4. Normandy; 5. Paris Île-de-France; 6. Hauts-de-France.
Why a greensome is not a four-ball or a foursomes
The competition uses greensomes, a distinct pairs format. Both partners tee off on each hole; the pair selects one of the two balls and then completes the hole with alternate strokes. The partner whose tee shot was not selected plays the second stroke on the chosen ball. That is not four-ball, where both players play their own ball throughout, and not a standard foursomes match, where the pair plays a single tee shot.
The opening day consisted of two nine-hole stroke-play qualifying rounds. Teams then moved into match play, fielding four mixed pairs in each meeting. Unlike many team competitions, this event bases its head-to-head result on the combined number of holes won, not the number of individual matches won. That rewards attention to every hole, including the ninth, even when a particular pairing already trails.
A national pathway for young golfers
The 24th edition brought together 13 mixed regional teams, roughly 130 players aged 12 and under, with ten players per region. Beyond the team titles, the event gives children experience of pressure, communication and strategic decision-making. French federation staff also use the gathering to assess junior development across different regions.
AURA’s repeat victory underlines the strength of its regional programme; Golf Club d’Ésery confirmed that members of its junior programme took part in the winning side. Brittany’s runner-up finish after a level final was another significant result. Crucially, this was a French domestic regional championship held in France, not a contest between national teams.
Verified sources: ffgolf, result dated 24 October; ffgolf, format guide dated 19 October; Hauts-de-France regional association; Golf Club d’Ésery.
