Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

Over 80 young golfers took part in the Ontario stretch of the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), Canada's number one Junior Golf Tour, in a waitlisted event at Don Valley Golf Course in Toronto on June 15-16, where perfect conditions were on hand. Solid scores across all six age divisions highlighted the remarkable talent of up-and-coming Canadian golfers, making for a showcase of junior golf prowess.  The tournament also served as a qualifier for two major events: MJT Team Canada in the Jack Newton International Junior Classic in New South Wales, Australia, and the MJT National Team Challenge in Fenwick, ON. 

 

Highlighting the results was an exceptional performance in the MJT Junior Boys Division by 17-year-old Jaiden Brown from Newcastle, ON, who blew away the rest of the field after blazing his way around the course firing rounds of 65, 68 (133).  His impressive play earned him Low Overall Boy honours and short-listed spots on both MJT Team Canada to Australia and Team MJT in the National Team Challenge.

More outstanding scoring came from 13-year-old Evelyn Ma, 13, from Markham, ON, who fired a brilliant five-under par in round two to secure her the Low Overall Girl honours and MJT Girls U15 Division title (79,67=146).

 

Another highlight was an impressive 100-yard hole-out on the sixth hole for an eagle by Finn Foster, a 16-year-old from Brantford, ON. Foster finished fifth in the in the MJT Juvenile Boys Division. The other top performing division winners were Jett Metaxas, 14, of Stoney Creek, ON, in MJT Juvenile Boys (150), Brennan Turner, 14, from Fenwick, ON, in a playoff in MJT Bantam Boys (159), Kiana Chen, 17, of North York, ON, in MJT Girls 15-19 (158), and Gerry Kou, 12, of Markham, ON, in MJT Peewee Boys (159).

 

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. Top finisher scores and quotes from the division winners are posted below, along with the list of qualified players.

The next MJT Junior Tour stop in the province is the MJT Maui Jim Series at Tangle Creek Golf and Country Club in Thornton, ON, on June 22-23. For more information, please visit the website at www.maplejt.com. 

 

 

1. Evelyn Ma (13), Markham, ON | 79, 67 (146)         

2. Krisline Truong (13), Mississauga, ON | 83, 82 (165)          

3. Grace (HyunYi) Kim (12), Burlington, ON | 81, 84 (165)
 

From Markham, ON, 13-year-old Evelyn Ma secured both the MJT Girls U15 and Low Overall Girls titles. With a remarkable five-under par in round two, Ma attributed her success to ‘listening to a bunch of uplifting songs and practicing a lot’.

 

1. Kiana Chen (17), North York, ON | 76, 82 (158)

2. Ziqing (Judy) Lin (16), Markham, ON | 82, 79 (161)

3. Grace Mayer (17), Cobourg, ON | 87, 78 (165)

 

Kiana Chen, a 17-year-old from North York, ON, triumphed in MJT Girls 15-19 with a three-stroke victory. Chen stated, "I mentally prepared by not overthinking about the tournament, and just trusted myself and the work I put in." She added, "I physically prepared by consistent practice, but not overworking myself the days before."

 

1. Gerry Kou (12), Markham, ON | 80, 79 (159)

2. Chi-Shen Lin (12), Toronto, ON | 79, 82 (161)

3. Bruce Wang (11), Markham, ON | 81, 82 (163)
 

Fresh off a win at the last MJT event at Rebel Creek, 12-year-old Gerry Kou from Markham edged out a two-stroke victory in MJT Peewee Boys at Don Valley. Kou said he keeps his pre-game preparation simple, stating he ‘just goes out and plays.’
 

1. Brennan Turner (14), Fenwick, ON | 77, 82 (159) Won Playoff

2. Zach Lederer (14), Toronto, ON | 75, 84 (159)

3. Josh Wang (14), North York, ON | 79, 83 (162)
 

After a thrilling tie with a total score of 159 between 14-year-olds Brennan Turner from Fenwick, ON, and Zach Lederer from Toronto, ON, in the MJT Bantam Boys division, Turner clinched the title with a birdie on the third hole of a playoff. Reflecting on his preparation, Turner shared, “I played a lot and spent countless hours at the course improving my game." He added, "I also spent time studying the course to prepare myself mentally for this tournament!”

 

MJT Juvenile Boys: Don Valley: Par 72, Ydg 6163, Slope/Rating 124/70.0
1. Jett Metaxas (14), Stoney Creek, ON | 74, 76 (150)           

2. Leo Savio (16), Welland, ON | 75, 80 (155)

3. Tyler Young (15), Etobicoke, ON | 79, 78 (157)
 

Jett Metaxas, 14, from Stoney Creek, ON, won the MJT Juvenile Boys title by five strokes and expressed his enthusiasm for the positive impact it will have on his future performance. "This win will be a confidence booster for sure," Metaxas remarked. He also praised the camaraderie and sportsmanship displayed during the competition, adding, "My playing partners were great."
 

1. Jaiden Brown (17), Newcastle, ON | 65, 68            (133)   

2. Sadiq Habib (18), Richmond Hill, ON | 73, 72 (145)           

3. Ryan T Chen (19), North York, ON | 76, 73 (149)

 

Jaiden Brown, 17, from Newcastle, ON, delivered a dominant performance, finishing 11 under par with an impressive 65, 68 (133) to claim both the Low Overall and MJT Junior Boys Division titles. With 12 birdies and an eagle, Brown maintained a runaway lead throughout the tournament. Reflecting on his stellar play, he shared, "Confidence boost! Proof that I can go low. I'll continue doing that."
 

Team MJT at the National Team Challenge Short-Listed Position: Kiana Chen and Jaiden Brown

MJT Team Canada to Australia (JNJG International) Short-Listed Position: Jaiden Brown and Jett Metaxas

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.