Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

Over 100 youth converged on the picturesque Chilliwack Golf Club in Chilliwack, BC, on the August long weekend, to participate in either a free junior clinic sponsored by Chilliwack Ford on August 4, or compete in a two-day elite tournament, the MJT Ford Series on August 5-6. Both events ran under the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), Canada’s leading Junior Tour, and results of the tournament are detailed below.

 

The competitive juniors came from across British Columbia, Hong Kong and Beijing, vying for MJT Ford Series titles in six divisions as well as the chance to win a brand-new Ford Escape with a hole-in-one. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as these talented young golfers showcased their skills in this thrilling competition. 

 

Low overall honours for Boys and Girls respectively went to Ryan LePrieur, 15, from Langley, BC, in MJT Juvenile Boys (72,70=142) and Zhehui (Hui) Yu, 16, from Burnaby, BC, in MJT Girls U15 (75,78=153). A thrilling playoff ensued in the MJT Bantam Boys division, after Jeevyn Lotay, 14, from Burnaby, BC, and Jason Bae, 13, from Coquitlam, BC, ended two rounds tied at 150. The suspense was over when Lotay clinched the division title with a birdie on the first extra hole. Other stellar performances led to division wins for Max Hager, 18, Kelowna, BC, in MJT Junior Boys (150), Satnam Gill, 13, of Surrey, BC, in MJT Girls U15 (157), and James (Chenrui) Qiu, 11, from Surrey, BC, in MJT Peewee Boys (147).

 

Top finisher scores and quotes from the division winners are noted below. Results from the London Drugs Long Drive, PLYR Closest to the Pin, Booster Juice BounceBack Awards and Academy Points can be found here.

 

The next stop in the province is the MJT BC Order of Merit (OOM) Series at GreenTee Country Club in Langley, BC, August 15-16, 2024. For more information, please visit the MJT website at www.maplejt.com.

 

 

1. Max Hager (18), Kelowna, BC | 73, 77 (150)          

2. Avery Myers (19), Victoria, BC | 78, 73 (151)        

3. Gavin Giesbrecht (18), Surrey, BC | 79, 77 (156)   

3. Jintai Li (17), Surrey, BC | 77, 79 (156)

 

Max Hager, 18, from Kelowna, BC, celebrated his first-ever MJT win with a thrilling one-shot victory. "I love this course, so I was going over the holes in advance with my family," Hager shared. "I focus on having fun and not getting too nervous," he added.

 

1. Ryan LePrieur (15), Langley, BC | 72, 70 (142)

2. Yuda Nam (16), Coquitlam, BC | 80, 69 (149)

2. Curtis Liu (15), Richmond, BC | 76, 73 (149)

 

Fifteen-year-old Ryan LePrieur from Langley, BC, racked up an impressive 10 birdies over two rounds to secure a seven-shot lead over a tied second place. "I prepared with tons of range work and on the mental side, I had a strong game plan to stay focused on myself," LePrieur explained, showcasing his meticulous preparation. Reflecting on the event, LePrieur remarked, "It was great, as usual."

 

1. Jeevyn Lotay (14), Burnaby, BC | 75, 75 (150) *Won Playoff

2. Jason Bae (13), Coquitlam, BC | 72, 78 (150)         

3. Haarjun Lotay (13), Burnaby, BC | 79, 77 (156)

 

In a thrilling showdown, Jeevyn Lotay, 14, from Burnaby, BC, and Jason Bae, 13, from Coquitlam, BC, finished tied at 150 after two intense rounds. The tension soared as Lotay sealed the deal with a birdie on the very first extra hole. "I've faced a lot of challenges that have toughened me up mentally and physically," Lotay shared, commenting on his journey. “Winning feels amazing and will definitely boost my confidence. I plan to keep things steady for the rest of the season.”

 

1. James (Chenrui) Qiu (11), Surrey, BC | 77, 70 (147)

2. Jason Zhang (12), Richmond, BC | 74, 77 (151)

3. Ziping Chen (10), Surrey, BC | 85, 80 (165)

 

James (Chenrui) Qiu, 11, from Surrey, BC, roared back to the top with a fantastic one-under par second round. After a second-place finish last week, Qiu made sure to dial in his short game for this event. "I did more work on my short game after Northview," he shared, highlighting his strategic adjustments. "I stay under pressure on every putt."

 

1. Zhehui (Hui) Yu (16), Burnaby, BC | 75, 78 (153)

2. Mandi Wang (16), Surrey, BC | 76, 80 (156)          

3. Olina Ziqian Liang (14), Vancouver, BC | 81, 77 (158)

 

Zhehui (Hui) Yu, a 16-year-old from Burnaby, BC, brought a winning combination of relaxation and concentration to the tournament, and it clearly paid off. “I made sure to relax and get proper rest before this tournament,” Yu revealed, demonstrating that a calm mind and well-rested body are crucial for success. “I was tuned into the game,” Yu noted.

 

1. Satnam Gill (13), Surrey, BC | 79, 78 (157)

2. Avva Nguyen (13), Richmond, BC | 77, 82 (159)    

3. Grace Fan (13), Vancouver, BC | 85, 75 (160)       

3. Freya (Fang Xin) Song (14), Vancouver, BC | 79, 81 (160)

3. Bihan (Bella) Yang (12), Vancouver, BC | 79, 81 (160)

 

Thirteen-year-old Satnam Gill from Surrey, BC, emerged triumphant in a fiercely contested field. With nerves of steel and a game plan involving deep breaths and ample hydration, Gill secured the win, attributing her success to focused work on her ‘chipping and putting.’ “This win means a lot and I feel this will help me a lot in the future,” she shared.

 

About Ford Canada: 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 is Canada’s #1 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 partners across various tiers, including Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels. The MJT hosts more than 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: Jessica Parker, marketing@maplejt.com

Marketing Manager, MJT