Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

June 19-20, 2021
Surrey, BC

Successful re-start of MJT BC Tour with Ford Series at Hazelmere

Surrey, BC – (June 21, 2021) – After a two-month pause in competitive golf in BC due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour was able to safely resume its 2021 season on June 19 and 20 with an elite field of junior golfers competing for titles in six divisions at the MJT Ford Series at Hazelmere Golf & Tennis Club in Surrey. The event also featured the chance to win a new Ford vehicle with a Hole-in-One as well as a free Dams Ford Go Golf Junior Clinic for kids in the community to receive a complimentary introduction to golf from PGA of BC Professionals.

The low overall score in the tournament came in the MJT Junior Boys Division where 2020 MJT National Champion Danny Im fired great rounds of 71 and 74 (145) to win his title by a single shot. The 16-year-old MJT veteran player from Langley, BC, sat in a one-shot deficit after the first day, but finished with two birdies in his last three holes on day two to edge out the victory. “This was the first time I played in the Junior division,” said Im. “I didn’t have a great front nine on the second day, but I kept it together and held on to a good round.” Im battled hard against the 2020 MJT Player of the Year, Kyle Mayner, 18, of Kelowna, BC, who shot solid scores of 70 and 76 (146) to finish in second place.

Showing her consistency in the MJT Girls 15-19 Division was 16-year-old Sueah Park, of Langley, BC, whose pair of 77s (154) secured her division title. Park kept her rounds together both days making nothing higher than a bogey and capitalizing on her birdie chances. “I feel really good to win on Father’s Day,” commented Park, who receives coaching from her dad on a regular basis. “I had some trouble with my shots, but I kept a positive mind and converted my up-and-down opportunities.”

Past champion of the MJT Ford Series at Hazelmere, Stewart Walker, defended his 2020 title in the MJT Juvenile Boys Division with scores of 74 and 77 (151). The 16-year-old golfer out of Whistler, BC, earned his second win of the 2021 MJT BC season shooting him to the top of the MJT Order of Merit rankings. “My key to winning was just letting go of the bad shots,” said Walker, who stayed level-headed throughout the tournament. “The course was in such good condition, and it feels great to win here for the second time in a row.” 16-year-old Caleb Davies, of Langley, BC, fired 77 and 76 (153) to finish second.

Excitement continued among the MJT Bantam Boys which saw only three shots separate the top four players. Coming out on top was 14-year-old Roy Baek, of Coquitlam, BC, who recorded scores of 71 and 76 (147) for a one-shot victory. Baek talked about his confidence on the golf course after his round mentioning, “I just had to believe in myself that I could do it, and I did.” 14-year-old Eric Joo, also of Coquitlam, fired a pair of 74s (148) to finish second in the division, while 14-year-old Hyunjun Lee, of North Vancouver, BC, carded 75 and 74 (149) to finish in third.

Thirteen year-old Amy Lee, of Langley, BC, picked up her second consecutive title in the MJT Girls U15 Division this weekend after recording scores of 73 and 80 (153). Lee highlighted the tournament on the back nine of her first round where she fired a two-under par 34, making four birdies in the span of seven holes. “In the first round, my irons put me close to the hole,” Lee stated. “The course was outstanding, and I feel proud to win.” Grace Aoting Yao, 13, of West Vancouver, BC, finished in second place with scores of 77 and 78 (155). 

Jim Zhu, 12, of Vancouver, BC, took home a confident win in the MJT Peewee Boys Division after firing rock-solid rounds of 75 and 73 (148). Zhu finished with a division-high seven birdies, five of which came in the span of nine holes in the middle of his second round. “I made all my putts on the back nine,” he commented. “I feel great to win because I’ve come second a few times before and it’s great to break that streak.”

The Booster Juice BounceBack Awards for the best improvement in score from round one to round two went to Claudia Zhang, Nicole Zhang, Aidan Narayan, Aidan Liu, Nemo Rong, and Andrew Biggar.

Full results can be viewed here. The BC Junior Tour season next heads over to Chilliwack on July 6 and 7 for MJT Ford Series at Chilliwack Golf and Country Club. More details can be found on the website at www.maplejt.com.

About Ford: Ford of Canada employs over 23,000 talented individuals in the fields of finance, sales and marketing, information technology, manufacturing and engineering, and human resources. This diverse workforce is responsible for the manufacturing and assembly operations that bring 320,000 vehicles and 425,000 engines to market. At Ford we are proud to be Canada’s longest-established automaker and remain committed to building a strong future in Canada. www.ford.ca.

About the MJT: The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour 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 supported by valued Premier, Tournament and Product Partners. The MJT hosts close to 90 events across Canada, including free Ford Go Golf Junior Clinics, the MJT Mini Tour for 12U and multi-day events for competitive players aged 11-19 which also offer qualifiers for international tournaments. The program has annual awards, scholarships and incentives to help reward 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 the provincial, national, university and professional levels.