Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

March 27, 2024
Richmond, BC

Richmond Country Club hosts top young talent in MJT’s Mini Tour Spring Invitational

Despite cloudy skies and rain covered greens, the battleground was set and tension palpable as a qualified field of players aged 12 and under on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour teed off in the MJT Mini Tour’s Order of Merit (OOM) Spring Invitational at Richmond Country Club, one of the top private clubs in British Columbia.

Qualifying spots were awarded into the FCG Callaway World Championship in Rancho Mirage, CA, the World Stars Junior Championship in Las Vegas, NV, and the MJT Mini Tour National Championship in Tsawwassen, BC.  In addition, the top two finishers in each division qualified for the upcoming MJT Mini Tour Order of Merit Invitational at Quilchena Golf and Country Club in Richmond, BC, on May 27.

Results from the top finishers and quotes from each of the six division winners (Jackson Wang, Lucy Li, Kaiwen Jiang, Victoria Shen and Ethan Jiang) are noted below. For Closest to the Pin and Long Drive Award winners, please visit the MJT website here. Honourable mention goes to the remarkable achievements of five-year-old prodigy, Sawyer Morrow of Vancouver, BC, who left spectators awestruck with his fine performance at his very first MJT Mini Tour event, shooting a score of 105 to end up in fourth place in Boys 8U! As the youngest golfer in his division, Morrow serves as inspiration to aspiring young golfers everywhere.

The next MJT Mini Tour event in the province is the MJT Mini Tour at Tsawwassen Springs in Tsawwassen, BC, on April 21, a direct qualifier for the IMG Junior Worlds Championship in San Diego, CA. To see the full 2024 MJT Mini Tour schedule, please visit the website.

Top Finishers

MJT Boys 11-12: Richmond CC: Par 72, Ydg 5073

Jackson Wang, 12, of Surrey, carded five birdies to finish -2 and claim the MJT Boys 11-12 division title. “My chipping was good today,” said Wang, who finished low overall. “I would put my approach shot to five feet (of the hole).”  

MJT Girls 11-12: Richmond CC: Par 72, Ydg 4800

Lucy Li, 10, hailing from Vancouver, finished +3 to claim the MJT Girls 11-12 title, noting, “I persisted after the double bogey on hole two.” Li, takes the spot of girls low overall and walked away feeling ‘happy about (her) win.’

MJT Boys 9-10: Richmond CC: Par 72, Ydg 4400

With a birdie and five pars on the back nice, Kaiwen Jiang, 9, of Maple Ridge finished +2 for the season opening event. “(I feel) really happy and excited,” said Jiang when asked about his win.  

MJT Girls 9-10: Richmond CC: Par 72, Ydg 3800

In the MJT Girls 9-10 division, Victoria Shen, 9, of Surrey, played steady golf to clinch victory by a single stroke in a tightly contested field. Shen had mixed feelings when asked about her win. “I feel really good, but also a little bit disappointed. I did four bogeys in a row, and I didn’t catch any birdies.” She credits her win to her short game, “I saved a lot of pars with my chipping.”

MJT Boys 8U: Richmond CC: Par 72, Ydg 3800

Seven-year-old Ethan Jiang, of Vancouver, played solid golf, finishing just nine over par. When asked about his win, Jiang was quick to share his excitement. “(I am) so excited for (my) first MJT Championship,” he said, crediting his ‘long shots and chips’ for this inaugural title. 

Qualified Players:

MJT Mini Tour National Championship:

MJT Mini Tour Order of Merit Invitational at Quilchena Golf and Country Club:
Jackson Wang, Daniel Lam, Lucy Li, Jody Li, Kaiwen Jiang, Theo Zhou, Victoria Shen, Chloe Chu, Ethan Jiang, Allen Kong
 

World Stars Junior Championship:

FCG Callaway World Championship:

About the MJT: The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour is Canada’s number one 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 Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Partners. The MJT hosts over 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 and Communications Manager, MJT