Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

August 25-26, 2018
Waterloo, ON

Over 90 young golfers participate in MJT Ford-sponsored events at Grey Silo

Waterloo, ON – (August 27, 2018) – Inclement weather during the first round on August 25 shortened the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s Ford Series event at Grey Silo Golf Club in Waterloo, ON, to 18 holes on August 26 only. When the skies cleared, the golf course was ripe for scoring and the junior golfers took advantage with three out of the seven division winners carding great rounds of 73 to win their respective titles, and all seven receiving direct exemptions into the prestigious MJT Boston Pizza National Championship at The Legacy Golf Resort in Phoenix, AZ, November 8 to 11, 2018.

The tournament was preceded by the Parkway Ford Go Golf! Junior Clinic on August 24, which offered a free introduction to golf to boys and girls ages 6 to 12 in the community. Parkway Ford also sponsored a hole-in-one contest to win a new Ford Focus during the competitive tournament on the weekend, where several players came close to winning the exciting prize.

Ranen Oomen-Danckert, 17, of Mono, ON, made three birdies on his way to shooting 73 to capture the MJT Junior Boys Hoselton trophy. After the round, Oomen-Danckert said, “My best hole was hole 18 even though I only made par, but I was able to hit the green into the wind off an uneven lie when the pressure was at its peak. That shot sealed the deal and made 18 my best hole.” Local golfer, Sean Tippin, 17, of Waterloo, was runner-up two shots back at 75.

In the MJT Juvenile Boys division, Derek D’Ortenzio, 16, of Caledonia, ON, won the title after holding off Daniel Ashraf, 16, of Caledon, ON. D’Ortenzio fired 73 to win by three strokes, saying, “I love the 18th hole because it is a risk-reward hole. Pulling out driver opens up a lot of trouble however a well-placed driver will leave a somewhat easier second shot to the undulating back to front green. I feel really good winning this tournament because I got to represent the small community of Cayuga Golf Club and all the staff’s dedication to juniors. It was awesome winning alongside my friends.

The third round of 73 came in the MJT Collegiate division, where Ian Wilson, 22, of Ottawa, ON, tied Oomen-Danckert and D’Ortenzio for low medalist of the event.  Wilson’s round was very consistent as he recorded 16 pars and two bogeys, including 12 pars in a row from the seventh through to the 18th hole.

In the MJT Bantam Boys division, the winner was 14-year-old local Aiden Shah of Waterloo, after he fired 78 to win by three shots over Connor Hagan, 14, of Caledonia, ON (81). Shah said the highlight of his day was his second to last hole where he ‘played a very good tee shot, second shot, and almost chipped in for eagle.’ He added, “I feel great knowing that I am one of the top juniors in my age category that competed.”

Alexis McMurray, 15, of Oakville, ON, came out on top of a very competitive MJT Girls 15-18 division. McMurray shot a five-over par 76 from 5653 yards to claim the title by a single shot over Kayla Burke, 17, of Port Colbourne, ON. McMurray said her thoughts on the 18th hole were to only think about the things that she could control, and not focus on the result. “I feel proud of myself for always sticking to the process and believing in it which I think helped me win,” she added. 

The MJT Girls U15 title went to 13-year-old Nicole Gal of Oakville, ON, who was the sole player in her division to break 80 with a fine 76 from 5197 yards. Gal won by six shots over runner-up, Peyton Costabile, 14, of Ayr, ON (82). “I feel very proud because I scored well. I have been playing really well the past couple weeks and knew that I could do well here and I'm happy that I did!” said Gal, adding, “The tournaments are run very smoothly, they have great sponsors, and the players are all really kind and fun to play with.”

And finally, Rhys Constable, 12, of Townsend, ON, came out to shoot a solid score of 88 in the MJT Peewee Boys division and recounted his best hole of the day as number 10, where he ‘drained a bomb for a birdie.’

Full results and overall event highlights are posted on the MJT website, which shows winners of the PLYR Long Drive, PLYR Closest-to-the-Pin and MJT Comeback Awards.

The next event in the province is the MJT Ontario GTA Series at Tangle Creek Golf and Country Club in Thornton on September 2 and 3. For more information or to register, please visit www.maplejt.com.

About Ford: Ford of Canada and the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) are proud to continue with the successful MJT Ford Go Golf! Junior Clinics - an initiative that introduces golf for free to young people, teaching them a game they can benefit from their entire lives. Many thousands of kids have participated in this program since 2006. Clinics have been held in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan where participating Ford Dealers offer free MJT Ford Go Golf! Junior Clinics conducted by PGA of Canada Professionals to children in their community. Ford and the Ford Dealers Association wish to support amateur sport in their communities by introducing children to golf, encouraging them to learn the fundamentals, and rewarding them for their efforts. www.ford.ca

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: Russ MacKay, Operations Manager, Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour rmackay@maplejt.com 1-877-859-GOLF  www.maplejt.com