Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

August 26, 2023
Warman, SK

Legendary turnout in Warman for MJT Mini Tour’s last Saskatchewan stop

The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour, Canada’s number one-played junior tour, descended on Legends Golf Club in Warman, Saskatchewan, for the final event on the MJT Mini Tour circuit in the province. Solidifying that junior golf in the province is vibrant, 159 juniors came out to compete in either the two-day Junior Tour (19U) event on August 26 and 27, or the one-day Mini Tour (12U) event on August 26.  Results of the Mini Tour stop, the last one before the upcoming MJT Mini Tour National Championship in British Columbia, are highlighted here.

Top finisher scores with quotes from each division winner are noted below, while Long Drive and Closest to the Pin winners are posted on the MJT website here.  Highlights included a tie for Low Overall in the MJT Boys division between Keaton Kreklewich of Melville, SK, and Dalton Stephens of Craik, SK, who both posted excellent 71’s in the MJT Boys 11-12 Division, while MJT Girls 9-10 winner, Alyxa Melsted of Wynyard, SK, was Low Overall amongst all the Girls with a score of 84. Other division winners were Mae McTavish of Canora, SK, in MJT Girls 8U, Natalie Maunula of North Battleford in MJT Girls 11-12, Hudson Deibert of Regina in MJT Boys 8U – a clean sweep as he has won all six MJT Mini Tour events this season - and finally, Caleb O’Brien of Melville, SK, in MJT Boys 9-10.   

As with all MJT Mini Tour events in Saskatchewan, the PGA of Saskatchewan provided great support with random prizes of $100 gift certificates for lessons, won by Bennett Bechtold of Moose Jaw and Keaton Kreklewich of Melville. 

This event brings to a close another tremendously successful season on the MJT Saskatchewan Mini Tour circuit. Early Bird memberships for 2024 will be available in December. More information on Canada’s number one-played Junior Golf Tour, as well as results of the upcoming MJT Mini Tour National Championship in British Columbia, August 31 – September 1, can be viewed online at www.maplejt.com.

Top Finishers

MJT Girls 8U: The Legends GC; Par 72, 3600 Yards

1 Mae McTavish, Canora, SK, F, 7                                                                     47-49 (96)

2 Makinlee McCrystal, Regina, SK, F, 8                                                           56-53 (109)

3 Ayden Bridge, Corman Park, SK, F, 7                                                            68-65 (133)

Seven-year-old Mae McTavish of Canora, SK, won the MJT Girls 8U Division, her third title of the season, by a commanding margin over her next closest rival.  “It feels really good to win,” said McTavish.  “Coming down the stretch, I was thinking about getting a Booster Juice.”

MJT Girls 9-10: The Legends GC; Par 72, 3600 Yards

1 Alyxa Melsted, Wynyard, SK, F, 10                                                                45-39 (84)

2 Jiayi Tang, Prince Albert, SK, F, 10                                                                47-46 (93)

3 Clara Zhang, Saskatoon, SK, F, 10                                                                 49-49 (98)

Alyxa Melsted, 10, of Wynyard, SK, pulled away on the back nine to secure a nine-shot victory in the MJT Girls 9-10 Division, her fifth win of the season and great preparation for the MJT Mini Tour National Championship. “It feels amazing to win,” said Melsted.  “It was a long day, so it felt good to be done.”

MJT Girls 11-12: The Legends GC; Par 72, 3600 Yards

1 Natalie Maunula, North Battleford, SK, F, 11                                               50-45 (95)

2 Erika Wurst, Saskatoon, SK, F, 11                                                                     50-59 (109)

Natalie Maunula, 11, of North Battleford, SK, played solid golf to win the MJT Girls 11-12 Division title, her second victory of the season.  “It feels really good to win,” said Maunula.  “It was a tough challenge.  My drives were the key to winning out there this weekend.”

MJT Boys 8U: The Legends GC; Par 72, 3600 Yards

1 Hudson Deibert, Regina, SK, M, 8                                                                  35-40 (75)

2 Sam Danberg, Waskesiu Lake, SK, SK, M, 8                                                  44-47 (91)

3 Jackson Orr, Corman Park, SK, M, 8                                                               49-43 (92)

Hudson Deibert, 8, of Regina, SK, completed a clean sweep of the MJT Mini Tour Boys 8U Division in Saskatchewan this season as he won all six events that he played in.  “It feels amazing to win my last 8U MJT event,” said Deibert.  “I was just trying to make some pars and hitting my driver better.”

MJT Boys 9-10: The Legends GC; Par 72, 3600 Yards

1 Caleb O'Brien, Melville, SK, M, 9                                                                    38-39 (77)

2 Cohen Bridge, Corman Park, SK, M, 9                                                          40-43 (83)

3 Bennett Bechtold, Moose Jaw, M, 9                                                            45-42 (87)

3 Declan Kozakavich, Saskatoon, SK, M, 9                                                      45-42 (87)

The MJT Boys 9-10 Division title was won by 9-year-old Caleb O’Brien of Melville, SK, after he posted consistent golf for a six-stroke victory.  “This win feels great,” said O’Brien. “It’s great to win the last tourney on the MJT and I wanted to win!”

MJT Boys 11-12: The Legends GC; Par 72, 4500 Yards

1 Keaton Kreklewich, Melville, SK, M, 11                                                        33-38 (71) Tie

1 Dalton Stephens, Craik, SK, M, 11                                                                 34-37 (71) Tie

3 Thomas Pilon, Saskatoon, SK, M, 12                                                             36-38 (74)

The MJT Boys 11-12 Division ended in a tie after Keaton Kreklewich, 11, of Melville, SK, and Dalton Stephens, 11, of Craik, SK, both finished the day at one under par with no opportunity for a playoff.  “The win feels great,” said both Kreklewich and Stephens in joint agreement.  “Everything was great this season on the MJT, you guys did a great job.”

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.

Media Contact: 

Trent Matson, tmatson@maplejt.com Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour

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