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Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour
The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA ProfessionalsPress Release
August 9-11, 2009
Waterloo, ON
ANOTHER STERLING EFFORT BY EMERY AT GREY SILO
Waterloo, ON – (August 12, 2009) – Players on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) battled the links that wind around the Grand River at Grey Silo Golf Club in Waterloo this past week, vying for the Ontario Tour Championship division titles and an invite to a top junior USA tournament.
The 54 hole MJT tournament ran August 9th to 11th and saw three days of terrific golf from Sterling Emery, 18, of Orangeville, who claimed the Boys 17-19 MJT Ontario Tour Championship crown and secured his third international exemption this season on the MJT, after previously qualifying for MJT Team Canada to both Scotland and Australia. Emery closed with an impressive two-under-par final, scoring 76-72-69 (217), and said “It is nice to finish the final event with a win. Holing out on number 14 for an eagle and making birdie on two of my last three holes were highlights for me.” There were actually two eagles on that same hole during the tournament as Brett Kennedy, 17, of Kitchener, holed out from 77 yards for an eagle on day one.
Close on Emery’s heels in his division was runner-up Jacob Ohanian, 17, of Winona, who played solid golf to finish just one stroke back of the leader (74-73-71=218). Mike Rizzetto, 18, of Brantford, placed third after carding 75-78-73 (226).
In the Boys 14-16 division there was a nail-biter five-hole playoff amongst the top three who were all tied at 230 for the tournament. Nerves came into play as Kevin McDonald, 16, of Delhi (79-75-76) pulled through with the victory, edging his challengers Derek Mathes, 16, of Kitchener (81-76-73) and Andrew Moffat, 15, of Brantford (82-73-75). “My two-putt on the final playoff hole and not letting up through the five hole playoff was key to my win,” said McDonald. “I’m relieved to have the tournament finished.”
Boys 13 and under division champion, Brandon Raine, 13, of Caledon, played very well over three days shooting 85-80-78 (243) and cited his “up and downs and staying focused” as key to his first MJT title. Runner-up Joel Albany, 13, of Georgetown, carded 87-86-84 (257), and 12-year-old Connor Doucette, of Waterloo, scored 85-101-98 (284) to place third.
Hometown girl Kirsten Degutis, 16, of Waterloo, beat Dylaney Day, 10, of Toronto, to win her division title after firing 86-89-89 (264). “I stayed focused and kept my emotions level,” she stated, also noting that a personal highlight was having all her rounds in the 80’s.
The divisional winners in the Mr. Lube Long Drive Competition were Brandon Raine, Luca Trisi, 16, of Toronto, Spencer Buck, 18, of Etobicoke and Kirsten Degutis. The Sundog Skills competition divisional winners were Raine, Christian Jeffery, 15, of Burlington, Jacob Ohanian, and Dylaney Day.
The MJT now moves into the One Day Series of five tournaments in Ontario with the first scheduled on August 29th at Cambridge Golf Club in Cambridge. 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 (MJT) is presented nationally by Boston Pizza and is Canada’s premier and only 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 also provides 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.
Contact:
Elaine Denton, Marketing & PR, MJT
T: 1-877-943-1645 Email: edenton@maplejt.com