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Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour
The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA ProfessionalsPress Release
June 21-22, 2008
Truro, NS
Eric Banks cashes in with second win on MJT at Truro
TRURO, NS: The second of three tournaments in the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s MJT Atlantic Canada Series played out at The Mountain Golf and Country Club in Truro, NS, on June 21st and 22nd, coming to a dramatic finish on Sunday with a four-hole playoff deciding two of the three international exemptions up for grabs. The exemptions were to the Texas Junior Masters in San Antonio, TX, the CKG Tour World Championship in Myrtle Beach, SC, and the Canada International Friendship Cup (CIFC) in British Columbia.
After 16 holes, there was a three-way tie between Eric Banks, 15, of Truro, Craig Dale, 17, of Truro, and Mark Canfield, 17, of Malagash, NS. Banks and Dale birdied hole 17 to pull one shot ahead of Canfield. On 18, Banks' tee shot on the Par 3 missed the green left, but Dale then proceeded to hit his in the hazard right of the green. Dale was able to find his ball, and play a pitch just onto the green. Banks' chip shot came up about 10 feet short, and Canfield’s chip for birdied rolled narrowly past the hole. Dale proceeded to three-putt for double bogey, while Banks calmly rolled in his putt for the victory. So after opening on day two with a stellar front nine of 33, Banks managed to continue his solid play on the back nine to finish with a two-under-par score of 69, capturing the low overall score, the Boys 14-16 division title, and a spot in the Texas Junior Masters.
Dale and Canfield, who had tied at 147 total score, then went to a four-hole playoff to qualify for the Canada International Friendship Cup (CIFC) matches. Dale, who is currently set to go to Scotland later this summer to represent Canada in the Kingdom of Fife Team Matches, birdied the 4th playoff hole for the victory, claiming the Boys 17 and up title and leaving Canfield in the runner-up spot. Alex Works, 17, of Truro, captured the third place position in the Boys 17 and up category with scores of 80-73 (153).
Second place among the Boys 14-16 went to Chad Hayman, 16, of Truro, who shot 76-82 (158), edging out Matthew MacMillan, 16, of North Sydney, NS, by just one stroke.
In the Boys 13 and under category, Neal Ryan, 13, of Antigonish, NS, overcame a triple and quadruple bogey early on to finish first with scores of 81-91 (172). The win secured Ryan a spot to the CKG Tour World Championships and he also won the Mr. Lube Long Drive and Sundog Skills Competition for this division. Myles Creighton, 12, of Digby, NS, came in second in the division with scores of 90-92(182) and Brandon MacDonald, 13 of Shubenacadie, NS, finished in third place.
Other Mr. Lube Long Drive divisional winners included Sean Fraser, 16, of Sackville, NS, and Alex Works, 17, of Truro. Banks and Sean Letourneau, 17, of Kingston, NS, won their respective division’s Sundog Skills Competitions.
The MJT Atlantic Canada Series continues on August 4th and 5th at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie. The tournament, a qualifier for the 2009 China Junior Open, is part of the 7th annual MJT-Canadian PGA Zone Junior Championship Series. Sean Fraser of Sackville, NS, who competed at the 2008 China Junior Open this past January after winning this event last season, is expected to return to defend his title. For more information or to register, visit www.maplejt.com or call 1-877-859-GOLF.
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