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The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA ProfessionalsPress Release
May 8-9, 2004
Coaldale, AB
MENGEL AND NEUFELD MAKE MAPLE LEAF TEAM TO JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Lethbridge, AB ? The second event in the 1st Choice Savings Series on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) was conducted this past weekend at Land-O-Lakes Golf Club in Coaldale, Alberta.
The event had qualifying spots for players aged 14 and under into the 37th annual Callaway Junior World Championships in San Diego, CA., and these went to Dallas Mengel from Watrous, Saskatchewan, and Breanne Neufeld from Coaldale.
Competitors in the tournament endured extreme weather conditions which greatly affected the scores. ?It was the windiest I?ve ever seen,? said Dean Spriddle, MJT Tournament Director, ?You needed to use a driver on a 200 yard hole which was usually a 4 or 5 iron, and on the second day the temperatures were freezing with a minus windchill factor for sure.?
Under the tough circumstances, Mengel amazed the tournament officials by breaking 80 for both his rounds and won the Boys 13 and under division with his score of 78-79 (157). ?I knew I had won on the last hole,? said Mengel, who has traveled from Saskatchewan to Maple Leaf Tour events for five years now, and who will now be traveling with Neufeld and the rest of the Maple Leaf Team to take part in the Callaway Junior World Championships this July.
Runner-up to Mengel was Carson Kallis from Red Deer (86-79=165) followed by Nicholas Morelli, also from Red Deer, in third place (88-81=169).
The Boys 14-16 division was won by Judd Blackwater from Lethbridge with scores of 78-77 for a 155 total. ?Playing safe was the key to my victory,? said Blackwater. ?The course played tough because of the wind and how cold it was, but the greens were good. And it feels good to win.?
Will Porter from Cranbrook, who won the MJT?s first event in the 1st Choice Savings Series at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort in April and a spot to the International Junior Masters in New York, placed second to Blackwater with scores of 81-75 (156).
In second and third place respectively were MJT veterans Brian Wolsey from Lethbridge (82-76=158) and Mitchell Fox from Okotoks (84-75=159).
The Boys 17 and up division was won by James Scott from Calgary, who edged runner-up Tyler Kemp from Lethbridge by one stroke with his rounds of 83-77 for a 160 total score.
?Whenever I made a mistake I was able to grind it through and have some good holes after that,? said Scott. ?It was very satisfying to win as it was really tough in that wind.?
Third and fourth place in the Boys 17 and up division went to Brock Ott from Foremost (162 total score) and Brock Robillard from Calgary (163 total score), respectively.
Mackenzie Renner from Coaldale won the Girls division title with a one stroke victory over first-round leader Breanne Neufeld. ?The mental part of my game helped me win in the cold weather,? said Renner. ?It feels good to win seeing as it came down to the last hole and my 40 foot putt.?
Renner shot a 174 total score with Neufeld at 175. Bari-Lyn Erais from Lethbridge placed third at 177 and Denielle Neufeld from Coaldale fourth at 180.
Division winners in the Mr. Lube Long Drive Competition were Scott Lowe (Calgary), Travis Kemp (Lethbridge), Jack Martyn (Calgary) and Bari-Lyn Erais.
The Sundog Eyewear Closest-to-the-Pin Competition division winners were Carson Kallis, Rhys Royer (Calgary), Eric Taillon (Calgary) and Denielle Neufeld.
The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour is presented by Boston Pizza across Canada and hosts tournaments for boys and girls ages 10 through 23 in four age divisions. The next local event is the Hygaard Fine Foods Junior at Mill Woods Golf Club in Edmonton, AB, May 15-16, a qualifier for the Canadian contingent in the International Junior Golf Team Matches in Mexico. For more information, please call 1-877-859-GOLF or visit www.maplejt.com.