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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

August 25-26, 2008
Whistler, BC

For Immediate Release — August 27, 2008

BC, ALBERTA AND MANITOBA JUNIORS TAKE MJT NATIONAL TITLES
13-year-old shoots career low, playoff needed in Boys 14-16


WHISTLER, BC – An elite field of 72 junior golfers from Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia faced unpredictable weather conditions throughout the 10th annual MJT Boston Pizza National Tour Championship which ran August 25th and 26th at the signature Nicklaus North Golf Course in Whistler, BC. Play was interrupted after lightning struck the 14th fairway during the first round making Tournament Directors face a difficult decision to shorten play to 27 holes for three of the four age divisions for the safety of players.

A playoff between Aaron Cockerill, 16, of Stony Mountain, Manitoba, and Scott Malo, 16, of Calgary, Alberta, provided an exciting finish for the competitive Boys 14-16 division after the two players tied at 106 for 27 holes. Cockerill, who carded 34-72, said he "made a lot of good par putts near the end" but it was "making the bomb on the second playoff hole" that eventually won him the Division's National title over five year veteran MJT member Malo, who scored 36-70.

Three 16 year olds, Matthew Whittaker of Lethbridge, Alberta, Kevin Hicks of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Mr. Lube Long Drive competition winner Pureum Lee of North Vancouver, BC, finished in a tie for third place behind Malo with total scores of 109 in the 14-16 division. Winnipeg's Scott Mazur, 15, made closest-to-the-pin in the division's Sundog Skills competition.

A brilliant score of 68 in the final round vaulted Jisoo Keel, 13, of Coquitlam, BC, to the top of the Girls Division over 2008 Canadian Junior Girls Champion, Soo Bin Kim. Keel, who has been playing the MJT since aged 7 and is a member of Swan-e-Set Bay Resort, said the key to her repeat National Championship victory – and career first in breaking 70 during tournament competition - was "to keep calm and try to make some important birdies. My highlight was when I chipped in for birdie on the 13th. I thought it was long but it went in and that's when my birdie streak began. It feels great to win this tournament again."

Keel's final scores of 38-68 (106) left Kim, 15, of Port Coquitlam, four strokes behind in second place with a total of 110 (37-73) while Jessica MacPhee, 16, of Langley, BC, (40-74) tied with Linda Luo of Richmond, BC, (39-75) for third spot at 114 after 27 holes. Alice Nakamura, 15, of Maple Ridge, BC, won the Girls Sundog Skills Competition while Keel added the Mr. Lube Long Drive prize to her bounty.

Lucas Gatto, 13, from Burnaby, BC, was crowned MJT National Champion for Boys 13 & under after shooting 36-73 (109) over 27 holes, six strokes ahead of second place finisher Ian Mmbando, 13, of Lethbridge, AB (37-78=115). Gatto, who also won his division's Mr. Lube Long Drive Competition, said he "hit a lot of fairways and greens on a course that was in good shape for the poor weather. Making three 30 foot putts on the front nine in the final round (was a highlight). My goal at the beginning of the tournament was to win and to have met that goal was fantastic and it's a good way to end the year." Logan Hallwas, 13, of South Surrey, BC, finished in third place with scores of 42-75 (117) and also took the division's Sundog Skills competition prize.

Adam Knudson, 17, of Calgary, AB was crowned Boys 17 and up MJT National Champion, after posting back-to-back even par rounds of 72 in the only division to finish 36 holes. The Glencoe Golf Club member said he "enjoyed being able to play a nice course and hit the ball well. The greens were great but the course was just a little too wet." Runner-up to Knudson was Chris Hall, 18, of Mississauga, ON, who recently returned from MJT Team Canada international competitions in Mexico and Texas. Hall shot consistent scores of 73-73 (146) while Brock Helgeson, 17, of Balmertown, ON, finished third with 73-74 for a combined total score of 147. Helgeson also won his division's Mr. Lube Long Drive while Jeff Wright, 20, of Mission, prevailed in the Boys 17 and up Sundog Closest-to-the-Pin competition.

Team Alberta, consisting of Ian Mmbando, Scott Malo and Gage Murphy, of Rosebud, won the inter-provincial competition at the championship after beating defending Team Champions, British Columbia, by one point.

MJT Cleveland Golf Players of the Year were also recognized at the tournament: Carson Kallis of Red Deer Golf Club and Red Deer, AB, in Boys 14-16; Chris Cooke of Canmore Golf Club and Canmore, AB, in Boys 17 & Up and Swan-e-Set Bay Resort members Kevin Kwon and Jisoo Keel, both from Coquitlam, for Boys 13 and under and Girls divisions respectively. These players all had the lowest stroke average nationally for their divisions this season, based on the award’s criteria, and each receive a full set of Cleveland irons courtesy of Cleveland Golf.

The OGIO Ironman awards were also announced at the MJT National Tour Championship, and went to one boy and girl in each province who played the most MJT events and had the highest Order of Merit points. Eligible recipients were Ryan Grill of Abbotsford and Jamie Oleksiew of Langley in BC; Calgarians Taylor Drolet and Rosie Jeon in Alberta; Nathan Corrin of Moose Jaw and Kaitlyn Blackmer of Swift Current in Saskatchewan; Connor Shaw of Thompson and Lindsay Stewart of Selkirk in Manitoba; Truman Tai of Markham in Ontario and Marc Young of Bridgewater in Nova Scotia.

The MJT Boston Pizza National Tour Championship concludes the regular multi-day season for the non-profit program. One-day post-season tournaments run in BC and Ontario this fall. For more information or to register, please visit www.maplejt.com.

About the MJT
The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) is presented by Boston Pizza, and is 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.

Media Contact:
Elaine Denton
Marketing & PR, MJT
T: 1-877-943-1645
Email: edenton@maplejt.com