Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

June 26-27, 2010
Spruce Grove, AB

For Immediate Release

WILLIAMS WINS SPOT TO CAN-USA TEAM MATCHES

Spruce Grove, AB – (June 28, 2010) – The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) held its last Albertan stop before the Provincial Championships at The Links at Spruce Grove golf course in Spruce Grove over the June 26th-27th weekend, only to find weather again becoming a major factor in deciding the tournament winners. With only five holes left to have everyone finish, extreme lightning and heavy rain moved into the area and all players had to be pulled from the golf course.

“When it socks in, it just seems to stay in the area for a while and gives us no chance,” said Pierre Beauchemin, General Manager at the Links. “It was unfortunate,” said Trent Matson, MJT Tournament Director. “There were some good scores looking to change the outcome if the tournament was not shortened to 27 holes for the Boys 14-16 and 17-19 Divisions.”

Reigning over all was Matt Williams, 14, of Calgary (73-35), who won low scorer, the Boys 14-16 title and a spot in the Future Collegiate World Tour (FCWT) CAN-USA Team Matches in Arizona this December, as a result of playing “steady, boring golf. I kept hitting good irons shots, on the green making a lot of pars. It feels excellent to win on the MJT.” Williams wins the Cleveland Wedge, a $50 Gift Card from Boston Pizza and the Gold Medal for his performance. Receiving the Silver Medal and the Odyssey Black Ice Putter was Tyler Saunders, 14, of Sturgeon County (78-37), finishing well back of Williams. In third place, receiving the Bronze Medal, Canterbury Belt and an OGIO Pack, was Kieran Standen, 16, of Edmonton (79-37).

In the Girls Division, Kylie Barros, 18, of Edmonton, continued her fantastic play carding rounds of 81-78 over the tough Links Golf Course and claimed the Gold Medal. Barros “scrambled and made a few pars out of nothing. It feels great to win after playing all these years on the MJT and finally getting on top.” Barros has been playing on the MJT off and on for the past seven years. Finishing in second place and receiving the Silver Medal was Candace Dechant, 18, also of Edmonton (88-87), while Laura Ferriera, 16, of Canmore (94-92), played steady golf on her way to the Bronze Medal.

Jason Martens, 13, of Edmonton, continued his strong play to take his fourth MJT title of the season in the Boys 13 and Under Division, after carding excellent rounds of 78-74 to win the Gold Medal. Martens just competed in the Pepsi Little People’s Championship in Quincy, Illinois, representing the MJT and having an incredible experience. Finishing in second place was Brett Pasula, 13, of Red Deer (82-85), who took the Silver Medal and the Odyssey Putter. Rounding out the top three and winning the Bronze Medal was Noah Vongphit, 12, of Collierville, Tennessee, who shot 92-82.


Kevin Piper, 18, of St.Albert, kept his record perfect on the MJT this season as he won his second event in as many starts playing solid, error-free golf en route to rounds of 72-38. Piper was playing well, as were others, so he just “tried to keep focused on my own routine, my own game. I couldn’t change the way others were playing.” This process helped him to a three shot lead over fellow Edmontonians, Connor O’Reilly and Paul James, who tied for second spot. O’Reilly, 18, carded 77-36, while James, 17, shot 76-37.

The divisional winners in the Mr. Lube Long Drive Competition included Kyle Kimmie, Matt Williams and Chris Acorn. The Sundog Skills competition divisional winners were Nolan Bruin, Tyler Saunders, Matt Hemmerling and Kylie Barros. New to the prize table are the Golf Town Comeback Awards, which went to Noah Vongphit, Kylie Barros, Dakota Smith and Devin Kohlauser.

The Boston Pizza-presented Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour continues its Alberta schedule on July 26th and 27th with the 1st Choice Savings Series at Picture Butte Golf Club in Picture Butte, a qualifier for the Singha Thailand World Junior Golf Championship. For more information, please visit www.maplejt.com or call 1-877-859-4653.

About the MJT :The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour presented by Boston Pizza is Canada’s premier and only national junior tour run exclusively by Canadian PGA Professionals. The organization hosts more than 50 events across Canada and also qualifies players for spots to international events in England, Australia, Thailand and many cities in the USA. The MJT offers annual awards, scholarships, and frequent player incentives to help reward player's performance and participation throughout each season. MJT alumni include PGA tour player Chris Baryla, players on the Nationwide and Canadian Tours, several Canadian National Junior Champions and many Future Links and Provincial Junior Champions.
Contact: Elaine Denton, Marketing & PR, MJT T: 1-877-943-1645 Email: edenton@maplejt.com