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Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour
The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA ProfessionalsPress Release
April 28-29, 2007
Lethbridge, AB
Kallis and Mengel Qualify for International Junior Masters on MJT
LETHBRIDGE, AB - Junior golfers on the Boston Pizza-presented Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) battled ferocious winds of between 70-80 km per hour this weekend while playing in the 1st Choice Savings Series at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort in Lethbridge. The field of girls and boys were competing for spots into two international events – the 55th East Aurora International Junior Masters (EAIJM) in East Aurora, New York, and the World Youth Team Challenge in Illinois.
Carson Kallis, 14, of Red Deer, AB, fired 77-74 (151) to win the Boys 14-16 division title. “I made a lot of clutch putts in both rounds,” said Kallis, who came from two back to beat Dallas Mengel, 15, of Saskatoon, SK. Both Kallis and Mengel, who shot 75-77=152, receive exemptions into the EAIJM in New York State this June. Third place in the division went to Rhys Tosczak, 15, of Calgary, AB, who fired two solid rounds of 78-76 for a 154 total score.
The brutal wind did not seem to faze Lewis Chong, 18, of Lethbridge, who followed up his solid opening round of 74 by carding another great score of 75 for a 149 total, winning the Boys 17 and up division. “Coming down the stretch I missed a lot of greens and was just wanting to make the putts,” said Chong, who cites the good competition and tournament experience as his reasons for playing on the MJT. Two strokes back was Craig Gibson, 18, of Brooks, AB, whose 72 on day two tied for low overall round of the tournament with Connor Barnett, 17, of Magrath, AB. Gibson passed Sean Sinclair, 17, of Cochrane, AB, for second place in the division.
After overcoming some putting woes on the front nine and a surge from Juanita Rico, 17, of Calgary, Breanne Neufeld, 17, of Coaldale, AB, posted scores of 76-80 (156) to win her second tournament of the year among the Girls. “The highlight for me was making birdie on (hole number) 11 two days in a row,” said Neufeld, whose goals this season are to stay consistent and lower her stroke average. Rico shot 82-76 (158) to place second, while Kelly Amundrud, 16, of Calgary, took third place with scores of 86-77 (163).
In the Boys 13 and under division, Zak Griffiths, 13, of Red Deer, played steady golf and cruised to victory with back-to-back rounds of 78. “The tournament highlight for me was making a 60 foot putt on the first hole,” said Griffiths, whose win earns him a spot in the World Youth Team Challenge in Illinois. 10-year-old Patrick Murphy of Crossfield, AB, was very excited to break 80 for the first time ever, shooting 87-79 for a 166 total score and tying for second in this division with Mack Penner, 13, of Lethbridge (86-80), and Riley Fleming, 13, of Airdrie, AB (86-80).
Griffiths was also one of the divisional winners of the Mr. Lube Long Drive Competition, along with Gavin Benson, 15, of Edmonton, AB, Mac Walrath, 18, of Edmonton, and Justine Stevens, 14, of Calgary. Stevens also won the Sundog Skills competition among the girls; the other divisional winners were Mack Penner, Craig Gibson, and Scott Lowe, 14, of Calgary.
The MJT continues its Alberta schedule on the May long weekend, May 19th to 21st, with a three-day tournament at Lacombe Golf Club in Lacombe, AB, a qualifier for spots on two teams. One is MJT Team Canada to the International Junior Golf Team Invitational in Mexico, and the other is MJT Team Canada to the Scotland Kingdom of Fife Matches in St. Andrews, Scotland. For more information or to register, please visit www.maplejt.com or call 1-877-859-4653.
About the MJT The Boston Pizza-presented non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) 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.
About 1st Choice Savings1st Choice Savings is the sponsor of the MJT’s 1st Choice Savings Series in Alberta, encompassing the MJT tournaments at Land-O-Lakes Golf Club in Coaldale, Paradise Canyon Golf Resort in Lethbridge (including the MJT 1st Choice Savings Series on April 28-29 as well as the MJT-PGA of Alberta Junior Championship on August 13, 14 & 15), and at Picture Butte Golf Club in Picture Butte. 1st Choice Savings provides the full financial services of a financial co-operative using innovative service delivery systems, through seven branches, Teleservice 24 hour telephone banking systems, and access through the cuanytime banking internet, ATMs and Interac direct payment system. For further information call 403-320-4600 or visit - www.1stchoicesavings.ca
Contact:
Elaine Denton,
Marketing & PR, MJT
T: 604-943-1645
Email: edenton@maplejt.com