Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

May 13-14, 2017
,

Bannatyne goes low in MJT Manitoba Series in Portage la Prairie

Winnipeg, MB - (May 15, 2017) – 17-year Zak Bannatyne of Winnipeg, MB, closed with a two under 68 on the 6300 yard Portage Golf Club layout in Portage la Prairie this past weekend, in the Boston Pizza-presented Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s two-day tournament for players in seven age divisions.

In addition to the division champions featured below, event highlights are posted on the MJT website here, showing winners of the Miura ‘Respect The Game’ Award, PLYR Long Drive, PLYR Closest-to-the-Pin and Golf Town Performance Awards. The event was also a qualifier for the Nordic Junior Team Matches in Finland as well as the International Players Championship presented by Miura in Jasper, AB, with both of these major events happening this August. Zak Bannatyne and Eric Strick were both shortlisted for the Nordic Team Matches plus received exemptions into the IPC together with Braxton Kuntz and Bobbi Uhl  - all of these division winners are profiled below.

MJT Junior Boys 17-18: Zak Bannatyne shot rounds of 78, 68 = 146 to take home the overall title for the tournament. “I had heard (about MJT) from some friends originally, and everyone involved in the MJT has treated me amazing, so I continue to come back,” said Bannatyne, who won by five strokes over another MJT veteran, Ryan McMillan, 17, also of Winnipeg.

MJT Juvenile Boys 15-16: Eric Strick, 15, of Winnipeg, fired a two-day total of 150, (78,72), and won for the second week in a row after winning last week in Carman. “I feel great winning back to back here with MJT. I had a good round today,” he said. “I was driving the ball well today, and my approach shots were pretty good although I was a bit disappointed in my putting.” In the end, it was enough for a one-stroke victory in what ended up being the tightest division race on the weekend.

MJT Bantam Boys 13-14: Braxton Kuntz, 13, of Winnipeg, shot 75,78 = 158, to also win for the second week in a row. Asked what was the key to the win this weekend in Portage, Kuntz replied, “Making clutch putts to the keep the round going. The course and conditions were decent. I feel happy (about winning).”

MJT Peewee Boys: Hayden Delaloye, 11, of Neepawa, MB, shot scores of 90,84 = 174 for the win in the Peewee Boys division, and said, “The course was 10/10, the pins were in nice spots and the greens were in nice shape. I just tried to do my best and have fun and keep cool.”

MJT Girls 15-18: Bobbi Uhl, 17 of Erickson, MB, shot consistent rounds of 76, 76 = 152 for a 14-stroke victory in the MJT Girls 15-18 division, citing her short-game as the key, “I scrambled well today, I’m glad everything worked,” she said.

MJT Girls U15: Ella Kozak, 11 of Yorkton, SK, notched up her second win in a row on the MJT Manitoba Series in the younger division with scores of 106-97, saying, ‘she was proud because she broke 100 for the first time!’

MJT Collegiate Men 19-23: Joel Baron, 20, of Carberry, MB, shot 76,71 = 147, and was able to cruise to victory in the Collegiate Men’s Division after his 71 was one of the best rounds on the day.

The next Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour stop in Manitoba is at Teulon Golf Club in Teulon on June 17 and 18, followed by the MJT Prodigy Series at Selkirk Golf Club in Selkirk on July 24 and 25. For more information or to register, 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 presented nationally by Boston Pizza and supported by valued Premier, Tournament and Product Partners. The MJT hosts more than 70 events across Canada, including free Ford Go Golf Junior Clinics, the MJT Mini Tour for 7-12 year olds, the Collegiate Tour for 19-23 year olds, and multi-day events for competitive players aged 11 to 18 which are also qualifiers 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. For more information on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour, please visit www.maplejt.com

MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Hood, Manager of Marketing & Administration, Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour chood@maplejt.com 1-877-859-GOLF  www.maplejt.com.