Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour
The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA ProfessionalsPress Release
June 24-25, 2023
Deer Valley, SK
Deer Valley stop sees Degelman and Johnson join MJT Team Canada to Australia shortlist
Over 80 young golfers congregated in Deer Valley, SK, for a stop on Canada’s number one-played junior tour, and enjoyed near perfect conditions in the MJT Saskatchewan Order of Merit (OOM) Series presented by Competitive Will Performance at the Deer Valley Golf and Estates course on June 24 and 25. The tournament for 19U players on the non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour ran in conjunction with a Mini Tour (12U) event on June 24 only, ending up with an impressive total of 114 young athletes coming out to compete. In the two-day Junior Tour event, players competed for titles in six divisions plus the chance to qualify for a shortlisted position on MJT Team Canada to the ‘largest junior event in the southern hemisphere’ - the Jack Newton International Junior Classic in New South Wales, Australia, this September.
Deer Valley showed her teeth as a very difficult golf course which made for higher scoring. Top results and winner quotes are detailed below. Results from the TaylorMade Long Drive, PLYR Closest to the Pin, Booster Juice BounceBack Awards and Academy Points, are posted on the MJT website. Eighteen-year-old Hallie Crozier of Regina, SK, won her second title of the season and continued her stellar play this year to earn Low Overall honours in the Girls Division. Carter Degelman, 16, of Saskatoon, SK, needed four extra holes to claim Low Overall honours for the Boys Division, with a great up and down par save to win. Degelman and Olivia Johnson, 14, of Calgary, AB, were the age-appropriate qualifiers to represent Canada in the JNJG International Junior Classic; the final Team will be announced once qualifying has concluded across the country.
The next MJT event in the province is the MJT Saskatchewan OOM Series at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club in Saskatoon on July 24-25, 2023. For more information, please visit the website at www.maplejt.com.
Top Finishers
MJT Girls U15: Deer Valley: Par 72, Ydg 5185, Slope/Rating 123/71.3
1 Olivia Johnson, Calgary, AB, F, 14 81-80 (161)
2 Tayla Perry, Regina, SK, F, 14 81-81 (162)
3 Grace Odnokon, Saskatoon, SK, F, 13 88-79 (167)
Olivia Johnson, 14, of Calgary, AB, played steady down the stretch to hold off all competitors and win the MJT Girls U15 Division title for her second victory of the year. “It feels really good to win this weekend,” said Johnson, who is now the age-eligible qualifier to join the shortlist for MJT Team Canada to Australia. “My mindset was just to have fun.”
MJT Girls 15-19: Deer Valley: Par 72, Ydg 5185, Slope/Rating 123/71.3
1 Hallie Crozier, Regina, SK, F, 18 74-76 (150)
2 Chloe Wills, Kyle, SK, F, 15 86-81 (167)
3 Payton Oakden, Brandon, MB, F, 16 84-88 (172)
Hallie Crozier, 18, of Regina, SK, managed the extremely difficult Deer Valley Golf Course track en route to claiming Low Overall and MJT Girls 15-19 Division title. “It feels really good, I have been playing well and it feels good to get back-to-back MJT wins,” said Crozier. “I struggled on the back today so just finishing strong was my mindset.”
MJT Peewee Boys: Deer Valley: Par 72, Ydg 5185, Slope/Rating 133/71.3
1 Jun Lee, Regina, SK, M, 10 76-81 (157)
2 Tylan Wallin, Humboldt, SK, M, 12 81-78 (159)
3 Ty Nochowny, Saskatoon, SK, M, 12 97-79 (176)
3 Dalton Stephens, Craik, SK, M, 11 89-87 (176)
MJT newcomer, Jun Lee, 10, of Regina, SK, held off his nearest rival to win the MJT Peewee Boys Division title by two strokes. “This is my first time winning on the MJT and also my first time in the Peewee Boys division,” said Lee. “I had a good first round so I was trying to play my game and focus.”
MJT Bantam Boys: Deer Valley: Par 72, Ydg 5904, Slope/Rating 130/69.2
1 Aricin Franklin, Saskatoon, SK, M, 14 76-71 (147)
2 Ethan Hunter, Casa Rio, SK, M, 13 77-74 (151)
3 Hunter Oakden, Brandon, MB, M, 12 78-77 (155)
Aricin Franklin, 14, of Saskatoon, SK, ended the second day with a one-under 71 to secure the MJT Boys Bantam Division title in style. “It feels awesome to be able to win,” said Franklin. “This was one of the harder courses on the tour this year so it’s nice to know I played well.”
MJT Juvenile Boys: Deer Valley: Par 72, Ydg 6341, Slope/Rating 138/71.2
1 Jack Maharaj, Saskatoon, SK, M, 14 74-81 (155)
2 Ryder Woods, Swift Current, SK, M, 16 83-75 (158)
3 Aiden Walker, Regina, SK, M, 15 75-85 (160)
Jack Maharaj, 14, of Saskatoon, SK, held on following a great first round to claim the MJT Juvenile Boys Division title by three shots over his closest competitor. “It feels good, but I truly struggled today,” said Maharaj. “I haven’t won in quite a while so this win is relieving. My hard work is paying off.”
MJT Junior Boys: Deer Valley: Par 72, Ydg 6341, Slope/Rating 138/71.2
1 Carter Degelman, Saskatoon, SK, M, 16 78-75 (153) Won Playoff
1 Solomon Ness, Saskatoon, SK, M, 17 77-76 (153)
3 Davin Karst, Assiniboia, SK, M, 18 79-75 (154)
It took Carter Degelman, 16, Saskatoon, SK, four extra holes in a playoff and managing to make an incredible up and down on a very difficult par three to earn Low Overall honours and the MJT Junior Boys Division title. “It feels good finally seeing the hard work pay off,” said Degelman, who is now the age-eligible qualifier to join the shortlist for MJT Team Canada to Australia. “I was just trying to make par and hopefully a birdie would drop.”
Qualifiers:
MJT Team Canada Shortlisted position to the JNJG International Junior Classic (Australia): Olivia Johnson (Calgary, AB) and Carter Degelman (Saskatoon, SK)
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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 100 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.
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