Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

May 19-20, 2013
Swift Current, SK

Record field size opens MJT Saskatchewan season in Swift Current

Four players shortlisted for Callaway Junior World Golf Championships

SWIFT CURRENT, SK – (May 21, 2013) – The Boston Pizza-presented Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), Canada’s most played junior golf tour, continued the exciting trend across the country of record opening field sizes in each province with 102 players in Saskatchewan competing at Elmwood Golf Club in Swift Current - 80 high-level junior golfers played in the MJT Junior Worlds Qualifier/Golf Saskatchewan Order of Merit Series on May 19th and 20th, and 22 beginners in the MJT Mini-Tour which ran May 19th only. Four of the high-level players qualified for age-specific shortlisted spots into the Callaway Junior World Golf Championship in San Diego, CA, this July, with the final winners to be announced once all MJT qualifiers across the country have completed.

“Day one turned out to be very busy but great,” said Jeff Chambers, PGA Professional and MJT Tournament Director. “We successfully got 80 kids teed off and 22 mini juniors as well afterwards, in the MJT Mini-Tour event which followed. The highlights during the opening round were a solid 66 by Leighton Bearchell and then our local Cory Audette (of Swift Current) scored an ace on hole number eight.”

Leighton Bearchell, 18, of Moose Jaw, SK, fired 66, 76=142 to win low overall and the MJT Junior Boys 17-19 title by one stroke over Daegan Wall, 18, of Regina, SK, who shot 73, 70=143. “It feels pretty good – my first MJT Tour victory after finishing second three times last year,” said Bearchell. Third place in the division went to Garrett Blair, 18, of Lanigan, SK (72, 73=145).

A playoff was needed to decide the MJT Juvenile Boys 15-16 champion as Conaire Kehoe, 15, of Calgary, AB, after he shot 73, 74=147 to tie for the lead with Noah Kozack, 13, of Regina, SK (75, 72=147), who was playing up a division. Both Kehoe and Kozack are now shortlisted for age specific spots in the Junior World Championships. “It was very stressful with the playoff but it was nice to win,” said Kehoe, whose goal this season is ‘to become a better golfer.’ Another Calgarian, Brendan MacDougall, 15, carded 74, 76=150 to finish third in the division.

12-year-old MJT newcomer, Scott Shugg, of Cochrane, AB, won the MJT Bantam Boys 14 and under title after he fired 75, 76=151 to beat runner-up Kade Johnson, 14, of Yorkton, SK (79-76=155), by four strokes. “My shot over the trees on hole number 16 to six feet from 158 yards was my highlight because it allowed me to make par and shoot 75,” said Shugg, who cited his golf goal this season is to break 73. Connor Scissons, 13, of Saskatoon, SK, came in third place with scores of 75, 84=159.

Kayla Sawchuk, 14, of Prince Albert, SK, put together solid rounds of 79, 81=160 to run away with the MJT Girls division title, claiming that ‘focusing on the shot at hand and not over-analyzing every hole’ was key to her win. “I was really happy that all the time and practice I put in before the tournament showed in my overall scores and title.” Second place went to Brooke Hill, 17, of Regina, (91, 84=175), and both Sawchuk and Hill are now shortlisted for age specific Girls spots in the Junior World Championships. Amanda Gonsch, 18, of Silton, SK (92, 87=179) finished third.

Divisional winners of the Mr. Lube Long Drive Competition were Lauren Koenig of Redcliff, AB, Kirklyn Humphrey of Eastend, SK, Carson Harcourt of Kipling, SK, and Zach Taylor of Saskatoon. Sundog Eyewear Closest-to-the-Pin Competition winners were Brooke Hill, Payton Ochitwa of Saskatoon, Josh Marcia of Regina, SK, and Jessy-Lee Lacher of Swift Current, SK, while Golf Town Comeback Awards went to Emily Bugera of Swift Current, Marco Trstenjak of Winnipeg, MB, Diehl Normand of Meadow Lake, SK, and Blake Morrow of Swift Current.

Results for the full field in the MJT Junior Worlds Qualifier/Golf Saskatchewan Order of Merit Series at Elmwood Golf Club can be seen at here.

The next Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour stop in the province is the MJT Team Canada Qualifier at Hillcrest Golf Club in Moose Jaw on June 15th and 16th. 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 number-one played Junior Golf Tour as well as the only national junior tour run exclusively by PGA of Canada Professionals and the ‘Road to College Golf’ in Canada. The organization is generously supported by Boston Pizza and Premier Partners Cleveland Golf, Srixon, Ford, Mr. Lube, Golf Town and Travel Underwriters, in addition to valued Tournament and Product Partners. The MJT hosts more than 60 events across Canada, including free Ford Go Golf Junior Clinics, the MJT Mini Tour for 7-12 year olds, and multi-day events for competitive players which also qualify juniors for international competitions. The program offers annual awards, scholarships, and frequent player incentives to help reward player's performance and participation throughout each season. MJT alumni include many Professional Tour players and Canadian PGA Professionals, as well as Canadian Amateur, National and Provincial Junior Champions. The MJT aims to develop champions, in golf and in life, promoting the game from grassroots through to provincial, national, university and professional level.

MEDIA CONTACT: Elaine Denton, MJT edenton@maplejt.com 1-877-859-GOLF www.maplejt.com.