Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

August 6-7, 2016
Copetown, ON

Shea, Dubois and Rincon qualify for MJT Team Ontario to the ITC

Copetown, ON – (August 8, 2016) –  Eric Shea, 17, of Brantford, ON, secured a spot on MJT Team Ontario in the International Team Challenge (ITC) at Hunters Pointe Golf Club near Niagara Falls, ON, September 23-25, after winning Low Overall and the MJT Junior Boys title in the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s Ontario Series at Copetown Woods Golf Club in Copetown, August 6 and 7.

Shea, who fired two solid rounds of 74, 72 (146), said, “I feel great about winning this tournament. The two birdies I made on 16 and 17 in round one helped, and my driving gave me a lot of opportunities to attack pins.” Runner-up in the division, who also earns a spot on the team to the ITC, was Michael Dubois, 17, also of Brantford, ON (78, 74=152), while Colin Warren, 17, of London, ON, was just one shot back to finish third (76, 77=153).

With both girls playing up a division, Hailey Katona, 14, of Tilbury, ON, came through with a solid final round to shoot 80, 74 (154) and win the MJT Girls 15-19 title by three strokes over Manuela Rincon, also 14, of Kitchener, ON (80, 77=157). “I feel good about my win – I played a lot better the second day,” said Katona, who previously qualified for MJT Team Ontario to the ITC. Rincon now joins Katona as the final member to make the team.

Carter Snowden, 16, of Kitchener, ON, carded back-to-back rounds of 75 to win the MJT Juvenile Boys title by five strokes over Xavier Ayora, 16, also of Kitchener (78, 77=155). Snowden commented afterwards,  “It’s a great course and a good field – I feel great (about winning) because it shows I am improving.” Third place on the podium for Juvenile Boys went to Brandon Logan, 16, of Jarvis, ON, who shot 82, 77 (159).

The MJT Bantam Boys title was won by Charlie Smith, 13, of Carlisle, ON, after he came from behind with a solid final round to win by three strokes (84, 76=160). “I feel good about this because it’s my first win,” he said afterwards, noting that coming down the stretch he did not want to be a ‘bogey hunter.’ Second place was taken by Krtin Udith, 14, of Toronto, who shot 88, 75                                   (163) and Tommy McKenzie, 13, who came all the way from Calgary, AB, had to settle for third (79, 85=164).    

The younger MJT Girls U15 division was won by 13-year-old Alexis McMurray of Oakville, ON, after she scored 80, 88 (168) to hold off Mikayla Bourgeois, 13, of Mississauga, ON (87, 83=170). Reese VanMackelberg, 14, of Cambridge, ON, placed third in the division (89, 88=177).

And finally, the MJT Peewee Boys champion’s title went to 11-year-old Kevin Lee of Markham, ON, whose rounds of 83, 81 (164) secured a six stroke winning margin over runner-up Thomas Sutherland, 12, who had travelled from Hammonds Plains, NS (84, 86=170).

Eighteen additional prizes were awarded to Longball Long Drive, MJT Closest-to-the-Pin and Golf Town Comeback Winners in the tournament, whose names are all listed on the tournament page on the MJT website.

The next event in the province is the Golf Canada-ranked MJT Players Championship presented by Freedom 55 Financial at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge on August 15 and 16. For more information on the Boston Pizza-presented Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour, 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 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.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour - Elaine Denton, Director of Marketing and Administration edenton@maplejt.com 1-877-859-GOLF