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The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA ProfessionalsPress Release
July 27-29, 2009
Lethbridge, AB
BATSEL STILL 1ST CHOICE AT PARADISE CANYON GOLF RESORT
Lethbridge, AB - (July 30, 2009) – The three day Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) 1st Choice Savings Summer Series played out Monday through Wednesday, July 27th to 29th, on the challenging Paradise Canyon Golf Resort in Lethbridge, where players in four divisions battled each other plus the chance to qualify for a open invite to a Future Collegiate World Tour (FCWT) event in the USA.
Dillon Batsel, 17, of Medicine Hat, won his second MJT title this year in the Boys 17-19 Division to go along with his recent Alberta Junior Golf Championship title less than a month ago, after firing an even-par total score of 213 which included a career round of 63 (8-under-par) on day two. This score matched the lowest round ever recorded in an Albertan MJT event, and Batsel was “truly excited about my 63, the highlight of my tournament.” As most people who have recorded a career low, it is very difficult to follow this up the next round as Batsel had “very little in his tank” the next day. “I had great irons play, I drove the ball well and made some crucial putts,” he added, listing the factors needed en route to winning the title and FCWT exemption.
Batsel bested a great field, where Gage Murphy, 19, of Rosebud, who had stumbled the first round with an 80, followed up with rounds of 70-70 to finish at 220 total score and move into second place. Ryan Werre, 17, of Redcliff, carded rounds of 75-75-71 (221) to finish third, and commented on Batsel, “Dillon never missed a shot out there, it was great to see!” Lethbridge boys Matthew Whittaker and Jace James won the Boys 17-19 Mr. Lube Long Drive and Sundog Closest-to-the-Pin competitions respectively.
Hayden Holick, 16, of High River, outlasted Ian Mmbando, 14, of Lethbridge, to win the Boys 14-16 Division title after carding rounds of 75-82-80 (237). Mmbando held the lead over the first two days, but stumbled on the final day to allow Holick the opportunity to sneak in for his first win by one shot. “It feels great!” said Holick, who also cleaned up in his division by winning the Long Drive and Closest-to-the-Pin competitions. “It’s a nice middle of the year finish to keep me excited for the rest of the year.” Three shots back of the lead was Mack Penner, 15, of Lethbridge, (80-85-75=240), who fired the low final round of the Boys 14-16 Division to get into the prizes.
In the Boys 13 and under Division, MJT newcomer Thomas Le, 13, of Brooks, played very well to win with rounds of 78-83-84 (245). “I hit good approach shots, my iron shots were close to the pin,” said Le. “It was nice to win with my friend and coach, Craig, following me.” Runner-up in the division was Mason Gibb, 12, of Lethbridge, who played steady golf, shooting 83-82-86 (251) and also winning the division’s Mr. Lube Long Drive prize. Finishing in third place was 11-year-old Lachlan Spriddle of Lethbridge, who played solid golf of 88-85-94 but stated that he “got into trouble around the greens.”
In the Girls Division, Becky Martin, 16, of Medicine Hat, continued her great season with her second win, carding rounds of 82-83-84 (249) for the title and cleaning up her division’s Long Drive and Closest-to-the-Pin competitions. Martin, who finished fifth at the Alberta Junior Girls Championship recently and will travel to the Canadian Junior as an alternate, said, “I played alright, but never saw many putts drop over the week. I was starting to hook the ball a little, and need to get that figured out before Nationals next week.” Emma Degenhardt, 15, of Lethbridge, placed second after shooting 97-83-89 while 13-year-old Devon Spriddle, also of Lethbridge, finished in third place with scores of 96-97-98.
The MJT continues its Albertan summer schedule on August 4th, 5th and 6th with the MJT Alberta PGA Junior Championship at McKenzie Meadows Golf Club in Calgary. For more information or to register, please visit www.maplejt.com or call 1-877-859-4653.
About the MJT
The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour presented by Boston Pizza is Canada’s premier and only national junior tour run exclusively by Canadian PGA Professionals. The organization hosts more than 50 events across Canada and also qualifies players for spots to international events in China, Scotland, Australia and many cities in the USA. The MJT offers annual awards, scholarships, and frequent player incentives to help reward player's performance and participation throughout each season. MJT alumni include several Canadian National Champions and many Future Links and Provincial Champions.
Contact:
Elaine Denton, Marketing & PR, MJT T: 1-877-943-1645 Email: edenton@maplejt.com