Press Release - MJT Manitoba Series at Selkirk GC - July 2-3, 2009

July 2-3, 2009
Selkirk, MB

For Immediate Release

BOYECHKO WINS SPOT TO USA EVENT AT MJT’S SELKIRK STOP

Selkirk, MB. - (July 4, 2009) – Two great days of golf, with the sun shining and hardly a breath of wind, were enjoyed by the competitors during the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s (MJT) Manitoba Series at Selkirk Golf Club in Selkirk on July 2nd and 3rd, and the course was also rated as being in great shape by the tournament staff. The two-day stop had junior golfers from all over Manitoba and parts of Ontario competing in four divisions as well as an exemption into a Future Collegiate World Tour (FCWT) tournament in the United States.

Two first time winners on the MJT claimed the Boys 14-16 and Boys 17-19 division titles. Charlie Boyechko, 16, of Winnipeg, pulled ahead of a three-way tie for first place with Zac Klassen and Scott Mazur after day one with a stellar final round 73 to claim the Boys 14-16 title (77-73=150), despite thinking that he was done for after hitting his tee shot out of bounds on 18. Boyechko also earns an exemption into an FCWT event with his low overall score. Klassen, 15, of Winkler, MB, was runner-up in this division with scores of 77-76 (153) and Mazur finished in third place (77-78=155).

Derrik Goodwin, 18, of Winnipeg, hung on to his big lead after the first day to fire 74-80 (154) and capture his first MJT title in Boys 17-19 over Josh Wytinck and Matthew Victoruk. “I really enjoyed the competition, I have never won before and loved the adrenaline rush,” said Goodwin. “I needed to finish well, especially since I didn’t know how everyone finished. I was worried through the whole round (about the competition), but I came back from a rough start. Josh really put the pressure on me coming down the stretch.”

Wytinck, 17, of Glenboro, MB, was runner-up after carding 80-77 (157) while Victoruk, 17, of Winnipeg, shot 80-78 (158) to finish third in the division.

Connor Shaw, 13, of Dauphin, MB, made a huge comeback to win the Boys 13 and under title after being seven strokes down going into the final round, and ending up winning by five strokes. “Connor’s putter was on fire the second day and it’s always tough to compete with that,” noted MJT Assistant Tournament Director and CPGA Professional, Ed Boge. Shaw, who fired 87-75 (162), commented, “My putting on the second day couldn’t have been better. I was wondering if I did good enough to pass everyone. I knew if I could play my game I could win and it felt great.” Tied for second place in the division at 167 total score were Zack Sackett, 13, of Winnipeg, (80-87), and Steve Young, 13, of La Salle, MB, who scored 86-81.

Jessie Choi, 17, of Winnipeg, coming back from playing golf in Texas all winter, cleaned up in the Girls group winning the division title, Sundog Skills and Mr. Lube Long Drive Competitions. “I felt confident through the whole tournament,” she said, after posting great scores of 77-75 (152). Lindsay Stewart, 18, of Selkirk, finished in second place with scores of 78-82 (160) and Kayla Ketcheson, 18, of St. Andrews, MB, pulled up into third place after carding 87-84 (171).

The divisional winners among the boys in the Mr. Lube Long Drive Competition were Zach Sackett, Zac Klassen, and Alex McDonald, 17, of Devlin, Ontario, while the Sundog Skills competition divisional winners were Scott Lemon, 12, of Winnipeg, Brett Roeland, 15, of Winnipeg, and Josh Wytinck. There were also many draw prize winners at the tournament.

The MJT finishes its Manitoba season on August 18th and 19th with the MJT-Manitoba PGA Junior Championship presented by National Bank Financial at Transcona Golf Club in Winnipeg, a qualifier for CAN-USA Team Matches at ASU Karsten Golf Club in Tempe, AZ, this December. For more information or to register, please visit www.maplejt.com or call 1-877-859-4653.