Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

May 19, 2018
Breslau, ON

Smith victorious in playoff at MJT Mini Tour’s Ontario opener

Breslau, ON – May 21, 2018 –  The Ontario opener for the Boston Pizza-presented Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s Mini Tour for players aged 12 and under ran at Merry-Hill Golf Club in Breslau, ON, on May 19, where players competed for titles in six divisions as well as for an invitation for each division winner to the MJT Mini Tour National Championship presented by Ford at Tsawwassen Springs Golf Club in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, August 23 and 24. Shortlisted spots into the IMG Academy Junior World Championships at Torrey Pines in San Diego, CA, were also up for grabs. Scores were reflective of the tough conditions as heavy rain came down to start the day, but that didn’t damper the moods of the young athletes who came from across southern Ontario to play in the event.

Luke Smith, 9, of Toronto, ON, and Manav Bharani, 10, of Brampton, ON, blazed through the Merry-Hill layout in 71 shots each, leading to a playoff in the MJT Boys 9-10 division. Smith won the playoff earning a short-list spot to San Diego this July. This was Smith’s goal all along - “I wanted to go back to California, like last year,” he said.

In the MJT Girls 11 and 12 division, Emma Hansen, 11, of Burlington, ON, was the only player to break 80 with a score of 79, good enough for a nine-shot win over Natasha Korman, also 11 and from Burlington, ON. Hansen was very proud and happy about her win and credits her short-game. “My best hole in the tournament was hole number 14 because I did a great bump and run to save par.”

Ten-year-old Swetha Sathish of Oakville, ON, shot 81 to capture the MJT Girls 9 and 10 division by four strokes over Aly Donoghue, 10, of North York, ON. Sathish really enjoyed Merry-Hill, saying, “It’s a good yardage for me, I love this course.”           

Rounding out the Girls division champions was Gracie McKee, 8, of Oakville, ON who shot 85 to bring home medalist honours in the MJT Girls 8U division by three shots over Juanita Beatrix Tandoc, 8, of Scarborough, ON.

Earning short list spots for the IMG Academy Junior World Championships alongside Smith are Brock McKenzie, 8, of Hillsdale, ON, who shot 112 in the MJT Boys 8U division, as well as McKee and Sathish. Final exemptions will be announced once all qualifiers are completed.

PLYR Closest-to-the-Pin and PLYR Long Drive prizes were also awarded and results can be viewed online.

The next stop on the MJT Mini Tour Series in Ontario is at Beaverdale Golf Club in Cambridge on June 10, which once again has six divisions competing for trophies and prizes and features a shortlist qualifier for the US Kids World Championships for players 10 and under. To register or for more information, please see 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 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