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The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA ProfessionalsPress Release
May 28-29, 2005
Crosswinds G&CC • Milton, ON
Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour Qualifies More Players For Matches In Scotland And Mexico
Milton, ON ? The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) held a double qualifier at Crosswinds Golf Club in Milton this past weekend for berths on teams to two major international tournaments ? one in Scotland and one in Mexico.
The two-day tournament, which was sponsored by Boston Pizza, had qualifying spots for the Maple Leaf Teams to both the 4th annual International Junior Golf Team Matches in Cuernavaca, Mexico, August 8-12, and the Kingdom of Fife Team Matches in Scotland, August 21-26.
Adverse weather conditions affected play during the event, shortening the number of holes completed by two of the divisions (Boys 14-16 and Boys 17 and up). Despite this, Josh Bamberger, 15, of Waterloo, posted great scores of 70-37 for a 107 total over 27 holes to win the Boys 14-16 division and a berth on the team to Scotland.
?I focused on every shot, one shot at a time,? said Bamberger, who plays out of Foxwood Golf Club. ?Of course I thought about other players in contention ? Cody (Pickard), Logan (Prendergast) and Max (Reil) but I tried to stick to my game plan ? it feels really good to win.?
Pickard, 16, of Thornhill, fired 75-36 to close with 111 total score in second place, while third place in the division was a three-way tie at 114 total score between Max Reil, 16, of Toronto, Dustin Louth, 16, of Washago, and Johnny Hall, 16, of Langton.
Kori Paquette, 18, of London, shot 75-34 (109) to overcome first round leader Mark Bania, 17, of Kitchener, and win the Boys 17 and up division title and a spot on the Maple Leaf Team to Mexico. ?Bania put together a good round and we battled it out during the second round,? said Paquette, who plays out of West Haven Golf Club. ?It was an exciting finish. McKenzie (Mike McKenzie, 17, of Cambridge) has a great swing and I was also worried about a player of his calibre. This win will do a number for my confidence!?
Bania, a Galt Country Club junior, placed second in the division with rounds of 74-38 (112), edging Jamie MacDonald, 17, of LaSalette and the Delhi Golf Club, by two strokes.
The Girls division successfully finished 36 holes, and Carolyn Halinda, 17, of Fonthill, took the title and a spot on the Maple Leaf Team to Mexico with scores of 85-88 (173). ?I never gave up,? said Halinda, a St. Catherines Golf and Country Club junior. ?You can only be sure you?ve won when your last hole is over.?
Shelburne Golf Club junior Justice Durland, 13, of Oakville, placed second with scores of 90-89 (179) and Lookout Pointe junior Sarah Steele, 15, of Fonthill, placed third (99-91=190).
Bamberger will form part of the eight member Maple Leaf Team to Scotland and Paquette and Halinda will join the Team to Mexico. The rest of the two teams are qualifying at other MJT tournaments across the country.
In the Boys 13 and under division it came down to the final four holes with Galt Country Club junior Brent McKenzie, 13, of Cambridge, ending up the winner with scores of 78-80 (158). ?I knew that I had won when I tapped in my four foot putt on the final hole,? said McKenzie.
Barrett McCarthy, 13, of Oakville, took second place in the division (81-82=163) and Gajan Sivabalasingham, 11, of Markham, placed third (87-77=164).
Division winners in the Mr. Lube Long Drive Competition were McKenzie, Pickard, MacDonald and Steele.
The Sundog Eyewear Closest-to-the-Pin Competition division winners were Sivabalasingham, Max Bianchi, 15, of Woodbridge, Brendan Prouse, 18, of Delhi, and Durland.
The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour, now in its 7th season, is presented by Boston Pizza and is Canada?s only major junior tour run exclusively by Canadian PGA Professionals and endorsed by PGA Tour veterans Dave Barr and Ray Stewart. The next local tournament is the MJT at Foxwood Golf Club in Baden, June 18-19. For more information or to register, please visit www.maplejt.com or call 1-877-859-GOLF.