Fiks and Ross tie for low overall, three in playoff, at MJT Manitoba opener in Selkirk
Selkirk, MB – (July 1, 2020) - The two-day MJT Manitoba Series at Selkirk Golf and Country Club in Selkirk, June 29 and 30, heralded a new look for the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour in the province, which had players following strict health and safety protocols, with no gatherings. A full field of junior golfers from across Manitoba competed for titles in six divisions on Canada’s number-one played junior golf tour, and fine play unfolded with some astonishing finishes, including a playoff between three boys in the Bantam division.
Trey Ross, 17, captured the title in the MJT Junior Boys Division after firing excellent rounds of 70 and 73 (143), which also tied for Low Overall Boys score of the event. The Winnipeg golfer made three birdies each round, good enough to win by four shots over three other players in the division. “As we were playing, I tried to not think about my opponents,” he said. “I tried to focus more on my own game.” Ross picks up his second career MJT win at Selkirk Golf and Country Club.
An exciting finish took place in the MJT Juvenile Boys Division between Winnipeg golfers Noah Fiks, 16, and Braxton Kuntz, 16. After both players shared the lead after the first round at one-under, 70, they continued to go back and forth during the second round. It was Fiks who went one-under in his final four holes to shoot 73 (143) and pull one shot ahead of Kuntz (144), to take the MJT Juvenile Boys title and tie for Low Overall Boys score with Ross in the Junior division. “My strategy going in was to keep hitting fairways and attack the pins with wedges,” commented Fiks. “I thought I executed that pretty well.”
MJT Bantam Boys witnessed a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard with a score of 155 between 13-year old Carson Inman, of Portage La Prairie, MB, 14-year old Jacob Taweel, of Winnipeg, and 14-year old, Grady Chuback, of Headingley, MB. It was Inman, who came back from a two-shot deficit after the first round to get into the playoff, who emerged victorious. “My strategy was to make putts,” commented Inman. “And I [managed] to make my par putt in the playoff.”
Brayden Boge, 12, of Winnipeg, carded solid rounds of 82 and 85 (167) to take first place in the MJT Peewee Boys Division. After two years on the MJT, Boge entered the winner’s circle with his fine performance at Selkirk Golf and Country Club. “I’m really excited because it’s my first MJT win,” remarked Boge after the event. “I tried to keep the ball in play and play my own game.” Boge will be looking to build further off his first win this year on the MJT.
MJT veteran champion, Mikyla Albert, continued her reign of dominance in the MJT Girls 15-19 Division. The 18-year old Selkirk-local fired rounds of 82 and 77 (159) to start her 2020 campaign. “I kept calm during the difficult holes,” commented Albert, whose maturity and course management showed on the golf course. “I played my number and put it close when I got the chance.”
Winnipeg-resident Jeri Lafleche, 13, carded a pair of 85s (170) to take the title in the MJT Girls U15 Division. “I had no clue I had won,” she said. “I think all my practice paid off!” Lafleche picks up her first win in her first-ever MJT junior tour start and will be looking to make her mark this year on the MJT.
Full results of the event can be viewed here. The next Manitoba stop, the MJT Manitoba Series at St. Boniface Golf Club in Winnipeg, will take place July 27 and 28. Registration for the event is online on the MJT website.
About the MJT: The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour is Canada’s number one-played Junior Golf Tour as well as the only national junior tour run exclusively by PGA of Canada Professionals and the ‘Road to College Golf’ in Canada. The organization is supported by valued Premier, Tournament and Product Partners. The MJT hosts close to 90 events across Canada, including free Ford Go Golf Junior Clinics, the MJT Mini Tour for 12U and multi-day events for competitive players aged 11-19 which also offer qualifiers for international tournaments. The program has annual awards, scholarships and incentives to help reward performance and participation throughout each season. MJT alumni include many Professional Tour players and PGA of Canada Professionals, as well as Canadian Amateur, National and Provincial Junior Champions. The MJT aims to develop champions, in golf and in life, promoting the game from grassroots through to the provincial, national, university and professional levels.