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Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA Professionals

Press Release

March 17-18, 2007
S. Surrey, BC

For Immediate Release — March 19, 2007

Scorching 5-under Par by Eugene Wong at MJT Season Opener
Play-off determines spot to Florida

SOUTH SURREY, B.C. – The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) opened its 2007 season at Morgan Creek Golf Club in South Surrey, B.C., on March 17th and 18th, with a double qualifier for two major international events. Exemptions to be won were in the Future Collegiate World Tour (FCWT) National Championship at PGA National Golf Club in Florida, and the World Youth Team Challenge at Bolingbrook Golf Club in Illinois, USA.

The two-day MJT tournament, which was shortened to 18 holes due to weather, featured a strong field of top junior golfers from as far away as Mississauga, Ontario and Grande Prairie, Alberta. Canadian Junior Team member, Eugene Wong, 16, of North Vancouver, BC, fired a brilliant 5-under-par 67 to win both low overall score and the Boys 14-16 division title. Wong cited his tournament highlight as making a 90-foot eagle putt on the 17th hole in his bogey-free round. “This win gives me confidence in my golf game,” said Wong. “My goal this season is to win every tournament.”

There was a three-way tie for second place in the division with a score of 73 between Jonathan Kim-Moss, 16, of Mississauga, ON, Bryce Dahlen, 16, of Coldstream, B.C., and Steven Nakajima, 16, of Delta, B.C.

In the Boys 17 and up division, John Koo, 17, of Langley, B.C., also shot 73 to tie for the lead with Brett Currie, 20, of Vernon, B.C. Koo, a member of MJT Team Canada to China last February, was awarded the first place trophy based on retrogression (best back nine holes). “Playing on the MJT has really helped me develop my game through giving me lots of opportunities to play,” he said. “I two-putted from 40 feet on 17 for birdie. I hope this momentum will carry on through the rest of the season.”

The MJT qualifying criteria for the FCWT National Championship in Florida this May allowed Koo to enter into a play-off with both Kim-Moss and Nakajima for the spot, which Kim-Moss won on the first play-off hole.

Chelsea Kim, 17, of Port Coquitlam, B.C., and Sue Kim, 16, of Langley, B.C., both shot a 2-under-par 71 from the Ladies forward tees (par 73) to tie for the lead in the competitive Girls division. Young Soo Kim, 16, and Soo Bin Kim, 13, both of Port Coquitlam, tied at 73 for third place, edging Kristina Gargaro, 17, of Port Moody, B.C., by one stroke.

China Junior Boys 11-14 Champion, Kevin Lee, 12, of Surrey, B.C., won the Boys 13 and under division by three strokes over Logan Hallwas, 12, of South Surrey, and Adam Svensson, 13, of Surrey, who tied at 76. Zak Griffiths, 13, of Red Deer, Alberta, came in fourth place with a score of 77.

The finalists for exemptions into the World Youth Team Challenge in Illinois were shortlisted to Kevin Lee, for boys aged 12, Adam Svensson, for boys aged 13, and Keanna Mason of Maple Ridge, B.C., for girls aged 10 and under.

The divisional winners in the Mr. Lube Long Drive Competition were Svensson, Pureum Lee of North Vancouver, Tony Elliott of Coquitlam, and Soo Bin Kim. The Sundog Skills competition divisional winners were Callum Robinson of Langley, Jonathan Kim-Moss, Nick McKnight of North Vancouver and Chelsea Kim.

The MJT continues its British Columbia schedule on April 14th and 15th at Redwoods Golf Club in Langley, with the MJT Lindsay Kenney Classic – a qualifier for the 55th East Aurora International Junior Masters in New York State, June 2007. For more information or to register, please visit www.maplejt.com or call 1-877-859-4653.

About the MJT
Boston Pizza is the Presenting Sponsor of the non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), Canada's premier and only national junior golf tour run exclusively by Golf Professionals. The MJT is proud to play a role in developing young players, including several Canadian National Champions and many Future Links and Provincial Champions. The MJT is also focused on providing opportunities for young Canadians to learn how to golf and introduces players as young as four years old to the game via free instructional clinics. In addition, the MJT encourages young players to further their education with scholarship awards. For more information, please visit www.maplejt.com or call 1-877-859-GOLF. MJT - developing champions, in golf, in life.

Contact:
Elaine Denton,
Marketing & PR, MJT
T: 604-943-1645
Email: edenton@maplejt.com