Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

August 15-17, 2016
Jasper, AB

Australians take Low Overall at MJT International Players Championship presented by Miura Golf

Jasper, Alberta - August 18, 2016 – Canada’s number-one played Junior Golf Tour, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) presented by Boston Pizza, held the second annual MJT International Players Championship (IPC) presented by Miura Golf in Jasper, Alberta, where junior golfers from Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Washington and Australia competed on the currently ranked number one-ranked Resort course and number three-ranked golf course overall in Canada, the iconic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course.

The players in the 54-hole championship on August 15, 16 and 17 enjoyed fabulous Miura Golf gifting, sunshine each day, majestic mountains in view on every tee shot, grizzly bears coming to play on the course, VIP treatment from the golf course staff, and a shared final round with Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon.

Overall Low player in the field and IPC Junior Boys Champion was Australian Harry Doig, 17, of Ermington, NSW, who fired outstanding rounds of 72, 69, 71 (212) in a nail-biting finish, as his wedge shot on the last hole set up a one shot victory over Canadians Max Sekulic, 17, of Rycroft, AB (71, 71, 71=213) and Chandler McDowell, 16, of Springbrook, AB (67, 72, 74=213). “I kept the ball in play all day, I hit driving iron all over the golf course,” said Doig afterwards, adding, “I loved being here, the views are spectacular and I am awestruck.”

The drama continued in the Girls division where it all came down to the last putt on the final green and Stephanie Kyriacou, 15, of Sydney, Australia, made it to be crowned IPC Junior Girls Champion with her rock solid rounds of 71, 72, 74 (217) edging a one shot victory over fellow team mate Grace Kim, 15, of Greenacre, NSW. Kim put the pressure on with an amazing 71 on the final day, finishing 73, 74, 71 (218). “It feels great to win, I can’t really describe it!  I feel relieved that the tournament is over,” said Kyriacou. “Coming down the stretch, I just wanted to hang on and no matter how it finished, I knew that I had a great tournament. I am very excited to win the Miura irons, they look so good!” USA’s Sarah Lawrence, 18, of Duvall, WA, came in third place with scores of 77, 79, 77 (233).     

IPC Bantam Boys Champion was 13-year-old Canadian, Marko Banic of Calgary, AB, who carded 75, 73, 76 (224) for a six stroke victory over both Ryan Hodgins, 14, of Medicine Hat, AB (73, 81, 76=230) and Richard Dou, 14, also of Calgary, (74, 78, 78=230). “I am happy that I played well and grinded hard - I played through it and posted a good number even though I wasn’t hitting the ball as well as I normally do, but I made a lot of putts for par,” Banic said. “The Miura irons as a prize are nice - it is extremely generous to hand out prizes like this at the event.”

Canadian Veronica Vetesnik of Winnipeg, MB, cleaned up the additional contests on site by winning the Longball Long Drive, MJT Closest-to-the-Pin (KP) and the Golf Town Comeback competition in the Girls division. Winners in the Boys divisions for the Longball Long Drive Competition were James Robillard of St. Albert, AB, and Marko Banic, while in the KP Competition, the prizes went to Kyle Antochow of Airdrie, AB, and Logan Graf of Red Deer, AB. The Golf Town Comeback Awards for Boys went to Sam Paley of Kananaskis, AB, and Hunter Penalva of Vernon, BC.

Full results and a photo gallery of the tournament can be seen on the MJT International Players Championship presented by Miura tournament page at www.maplejt.com.

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 Ford of Canada, TuGo, Cleveland Golf, Srixon and Aquafina, 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 PGA of Canada 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.

About Miura Golf: Miura Golf of Japan makes the world's finest forged golf clubs, designed and manufactured by patriarch and club expert Katsuhiro Miura with the help of his sons Yoshitaka and Shinei, whom he trained. Katsuhiro Miura, who began making golf clubs in 1957, hand-grinds clubs in his factory every day alongside Yoshitaka Miura, while Shinei Miura supervises the forging. Miura clubs are made one by one, using many handcrafting processes, and will never be mass produced. 

Miura offers non-forged products as well -- drivers, fairway woods and hybrids -- all designed and produced under the supervision of the Miura family. Among professional golfers, the Miura name is well-known -- indeed, before he made clubs under his own name, Katsuhiro Miura supplied many top pros with the clubs they used to win major championships.  Read more online here.

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