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Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour
The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA ProfessionalsPress Release
June 28-29, 2008
London, ON
HALL WINS PLAYOFF FOR THIRD MJT-ONTARIO PGA JUNIOR CHAMPION TITLE
2009 China Junior Open Exemption Goes to Kempa
LONDON, ON – The 6th annual MJT-Ontario PGA Junior Championship, part of a national series of Canadian PGA Zone Junior Championships pioneered by the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), returned to Forest City National Golf Club in London on June 28th and 29th. The 36 hole tournament showcased the skills of Ontario's top junior golfers and offered a MJT Team Canada spot to the 2009 China Junior Open.
For the third straight year, Johnny Hall, 19, of Mount Elgin GC, finished in top place for the MJT-Ontario PGA Junior Boys 17 & Up Champion title after winning a two-hole playoff over first-round leader Austin Kelly, 17, from Chatham and Maple City GC. Hall, who hails from Langton and has been playing the Tour since 2005, was able to draw on his tournament experience to battled back from being 3 strokes off the lead on the first day to post a 2-under-par second round for a 146 total score (76-70). Kelly's back-to-back scores of 73 put him at second place in the division, one stroke ahead of third place finisher and Whistle Bear GC player Josh Bamberger, 18, of Waterloo, who carded 74-73 (147). Divisional winners in the Mr. Lube Long Drive and Sundog Eyewear Skills competitions were Andrew Smith, 17, of Rockway GC and Kitchener, and Dan Moore, 18, of Innisfil Creek GC and Innisfil, respectively.
The spot to the 2009 China Junior Open and Boys 14-16 Champion title was won by Brantford G&CC member Zachary Kempa, 16, who scored 75-72 (147) for a two-stroke win over second place finisher Chris Hemmerich, 15, of Kitchener and Westmount G&CC (74-75=149). Kempa, who also won the divisional Mr. Lube Long Drive competition, contributed his win to "hitting the ball in the right spots and making good putts" after finding himself a few strokes behind coming into the back nine during the final round. Third place finisher, and Sundog Closest-to-the-Pin winner in this competitive division, was Brad Burgess, 15, of St. Catherines and St. Catherines G&CC, with a total score of 151 (77-74).
Scoring in the Boys 13 & Under division proved to be one of the tightest matches so far this season with Sam Hebert, 13, of St. Thomas and St. Thomas G&CC, holding on to the division title with 153 (74-79). Whistle Bear Performance Team member Matt LeMay, 12, from Waterloo, ended just 2-strokes behind for second place and also won the Mr. Lube Long Drive competition. "I got a little worried after Matt sunk a long birdie putt on the 15th hole but I made a lot of short putts which were key to my victory," said Hebert of his first-time win on the MJT. Following in third place was 10-year-old Brendan Seys, from Port Lambton and Baldoon GC, who carded a respectable 164 (84-80).
Vivian Tsui, 14 of Markham who plays out of Station Creek GC, finished in first place for the Girls division title and Sundog Closest-to-the-Pin honours after bettering her first round leading score by 5 strokes on the second day for a 157 total (81-76). Tsui will now be short-listed for a girls spot on MJT Team Canada to the 2009 China Junior Open which will be offered at a national level based on results from six PGA Zone events across the country this season. Finishing in second place was Stephanie Carr, 15 of Amherstburg and Kingsville GC, who also won the Mr. Lube Long Drive competition in this division.
The MJT continues its Ontario schedule with a double-qualifier at Willow Valley GC in Hamilton on July 21st and 22nd where players will vie for spots to the Canada International Friendship Cup in Surrey, BC, and CAN-USA Team Matches in Tempe, Arizona. The series then continues with a 54-hole stop at Mystic GC in Ancaster on August 4-6 and a collection of four one-day tournaments this fall. 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.
Media Contact:
Elaine Denton
Marketing & PR, MJT
T: 1-877-943-1645
Email: edenton@maplejt.com