Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

Under beautifully sunny skies, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), Canada’s number one Junior Tour, made its third of four national stops in the MJT PLYR Series at the stunning Elk Ridge Resort in Waskesiu, SK. A total of 116 talented young golfers representing two provinces and The Grand Cayman descended upon the picturesque course, which was in impeccable shape. Participants competed in either the one-day Mini Tour for 12U on August 9 or the two-day Junior Tour for 19U on August 10-11. Below are the highlights from the 19U MJT Junior Tour, where six division titles and a coveted chance to qualify for the Champion of Champions 2025 at Lough Erne Resort in Ross Inner, Enniskillen, United Kingdom, were up for grabs. Winners took home custom MJT golf bags, adding to the excitement of the competition. 

 

Memories were made as some MJT members were competing in the last junior tournament of their careers, such as Ryan Chernoff, 19, of Estevan, SK, a 10-year MJT veteran who will be greatly missed on the Tour.
 

Fantastic scoring led to Low overall Boy and Girl honours going to Ayden Ross, 16, of Swift Current, SK, in MJT Juvenile Boys (76,71=147) and Grace Odnokon, 14, of Saskatoon, SK, in MJT Girls U15 (80,76=156), respectively. Other excellent performances resulted in division wins by Ben Staines, 17, of Saskatoon, SK, in MJT Junior Boys (149), Chloe Wills, 16, from Kyle, SK, in MJT Girls 15-19 (162), Austin Nesbitt, 13, from Pilot Butte, SK, in MJT Bantam Boys (140), and Adam Stepaniuk, 11, of George Town, Grand Cayman, in MJT Peewee Boys (158).

 

Top finisher scores and quotes from the division winners follow below. For full tournament results, please visit the MJT website here; results from the Projekt/2UNDR Long Drive, PLYR Closest to the Pin, Booster Juice BounceBack Awards and Academy Points standings are posted here.
 

The next and final stop in the province is the MJT Golf Saskatchewan Order of Merit Championship at The Legends Golf Course in Warman, SK, August 24-25, 2024. For more information, please visit the MJT website at www.maplejt.com.

 

MJT Junior Boys: Tamarack/Birch: Par 72, Ydg 6387, Slope/Rating 128/70.1
1. Ben Staines (17), Saskatoon, SK | 72, 77 (149)       

2. Justin Miller (17), Saskatoon, SK | 74, 78 (152)      

3. Hudson Heistad (17), Avonlea, SK | 76, 77 (153)

Ben Staines, a 17-year-old from Saskatoon, SK, delivered a stellar performance in round one, finishing at even par and setting the stage for his eventual win in MJT Junior Boys. Reflecting on his triumph, Staines shared, "It means a lot to get my first win of the season. It will help me remain confident in high-pressure situations." He also praised the event, calling it, "10/10, great course conditions and well-run." This victory marks a turning point in his season, fueling his confidence as he gears up for the challenges ahead.

 

1. Ayden Ross (16) Swift Current, SK | 76, 71 (147)

2. Brady Guenther (16), Saskatoon, SK | 75, 73 (148)

2. Ethan Hunter (15), Casa Rio, SK | 72, 76 (148)

Ayden Ross, a 16-year-old golfer from Swift Current, SK, showcased his hard-earned skills by finishing his second round at one-under par, winning the MJT Juvenile and Low Overall Boys titles by one stroke. Discussing his journey, Ross shared, "I prepared for this tournament by putting in hours of work on the range. I also worked on staying mentally present." His dedication paid off as he celebrated a win that holds special significance. "This win means a lot to me because I finally broke through and played solid golf," said Ross.

 

1. Austin Nesbitt (13), Pilot Butte, SK | 71, 69 (140)  

2. Shae Maunula (14), North Battleford, SK | 73, 69 (142)     

3. Matty Schmiess (14), Swift Current, SK | 72, 72 (144)

Austin Nesbitt, 13, from Pilot Butte, SK, won the MJT Bantam Boys top spot by two strokes. "I stayed calm and relied on all of my practice to carry me to the end," Nesbitt said confidently after clinching his latest victory. "10/10, perfect course," he added, summing up his recent experience.
 

1. Adam Stepaniuk (11), George Town, Grand Cayman | 78, 80 (158)          

2. Dalton Stephens (12), Craik, SK | 83, 81 (164)

3. Cooper Roberge (12), Lloydminster, AB | 83, 85 (168)

The spotlight shone brightly on 11-year-old Adam Stepaniuk, who made waves all the way from the Cayman Islands, as he triumphed in the MJT Peewee Boys division. Stepaniuk has competed for three years on the MJT, starting on the Mini Tour for 12U. Stating that his preparation was playing two practice rounds and a family tournament, Stepaniuk showed remarkable skill and poise. "I learned to play with kids older than me," said the young champion, reflecting on his golfing experience.

 

1. Chloe Wills (16), Kyle, SK | 81, 81 (162)      

2. Sarah Henderson (16), Saskatoon, SK | 89, 80 (169)          

3. Ino Li (17), Saskatoon, SK | 89, 89 (178)

Chloe Wills, 16, from Kyle, SK, has triumphed once again, marking her third win of the season with two steady rounds of 81. Wills, whose focused preparation paid off, remarked, "I had a week off to practice, so I was at the range and had a couple of lessons to work on things." Her dedication and sharp skills were on full display as she solidified her place at the top of the leaderboard in MJT Girls 15-19.
 

1. Grace Odnokon (14), Saskatoon, SK | 80, 76 (156)

2. Sienna Taylor (14), Saskatoon, SK | 87, 85 (172)

3. Youran (Yoyo) Zhu (13), Saskatoon, SK | 90, 89 (179)

Fourteen-year-old Grace Odnokon from Saskatoon, continued to prove her prowess on the course by clinching her fourth win of the season along with the MJT Girls Low Overall and U15 titles. Odnokon shared, "I put a lot of effort in on the range and focused on always playing to the best of my ability."

Qualified Players:

 

Aidan Ross (Swift Current, SK), Austin Nesbitt (Pilot Butte, SK), Chloe Wills (Kyle, SK), and Grace Odnokon (Saskatoon, SK).

About PLYR Golf: Established in 2015, PLYR emerged with an idea that would allow both casual street apparel and golf attire to merge.  Fast forward a few years and although the brand has expanded beyond the course, the vision remains - push the status quo on what is 'cool' in athletic apparel. Our mission is simple. Create a culture that will inspire and connect the next generation of PLYR's through innovative, high-quality products.  PLYR - any and all athletes. We are all PLYR's. For more information, and to see PLYR's full line of products, visit the website HERE.

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