Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

A heavily waitlisted field of talented junior golfers on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) teed off under rainy skies in the MJT FCG World Golf Championship Qualifier, held March 28–29 on the Canal Course at Northview Golf and Country Club in Surrey, BC — a challenging layout known for its tree-lined fairways and strategic water features. The MJT, Canada’s #1-played junior golf tour, is the exclusive qualifying tour for the FCG’s World Championship. Players were also competing for coveted exemptions into other premier events, including the International Junior Masters, MJT East Coast Junior Championship, MJT National Tour Challenge, and the NextGen Pacific Championship.

 

Despite challenging spring weather adding an extra layer of difficulty, standout performances were delivered across all six age groups. The MJT Bantam Boys division saw one of the most dramatic finishes of the tournament, with a four-way playoff needed after Jack Guo, 13, of West Vancouver, BC, Jackson Wang, 13, and Jayden H X Zhu, 13, both of Langley, BC, and Kaden Phan, 14, of Vancouver, BC, all finished tied at 143. Guo emerged victorious after a thrilling battle that concluded on the third extra hole.

 

Another exciting playoff win took place in the MJT Girls U15 division, where Bihan (Bella) Yang, 13, of Vancouver, BC, defeated fellow Vancouver golfer Rikki Liu, 13, with a birdie on the first extra hole after both players finished tied for the lead at 149.

 

Excellent scoring led to well-deserved division titles for Blake Newell, 17, from Surrey, BC, in MJT Junior Boys (141); for Jenny Guo, 13, of West Vancouver, BC, in MJT Girls 15-19 (144), who shot the Low Overall Girls score; for Jaden August, 16, of Pitt Meadows, BC, in MJT Juvenile Boys (139) – who shot the Low Overall Boys score; and for James C.R. Qiu, 12, of Surrey, BC, in MJT Peewee Boys (143).
            

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

Next up in British Columbia is the highly anticipated, wait-listed MJT Junior Worlds Qualifier, taking place April 5–6 at Morgan Creek Golf Course in Surrey. For more information on the MJT and upcoming events, visit www.maplejt.com.

Top Finishers by Division

MJT Junior Boys: Canal Course: Par 72, Ydg 6646, Slope/Rating 132/71.3
1. Blake Newell (17), Surrey, BC | 72, 69 (141)           

2. Hunter Auramenko (17), Campbell River, BC | 73, 70 (143)           

3. Jerry Li (17), Vancouver, BC | 73, 71 (144)

Blake Newell, 17, of Surrey, BC, delivered a fantastic performance in the MJT Junior Boys division, firing rounds of 72 and 69 for a 141 total, highlighted by nine birdies over two days. Newell not only brought the heat on the scorecard, but gave high marks to the event itself, saying: “This tournament was a 10/10 experience — the amenities like the food, range balls, and tee gifts made it great!”

 

1. Jaden August (16), Pitt Meadows, BC | 70, 69 (139)

2. BoSheng (Dylan) Zhang (14), Tsawwassen, BC | 74, 68 (142)         

3. Ryan LePrieur (16), Langley, BC | 71, 73 (144)

Low Overall Boys score was fired by Jaden August, 16, of Pitt Meadows, BC, who put together a stellar showing in the MJT Juvenile Boys division, carding brilliant rounds of 70 and 69, including nine birdies across two rounds. A strong off-season was key for August, who shared, “I worked a lot on my technique and a lot on my process.” His goal for the MJT season? Simply put: “Play as well as I can.” 
 

1. Jack Guo (13), West Vancouver, BC | 71, 72 (143) *Won playoff

2. Jackson Wang (13), Langley, BC | 77, 66 (143)

2. Jayden H X Zhu (13), Surrey, BC | 73, 70 (143)       

2. Kaden Phan (14), Vancouver, BC | 70, 73 (143)

The MJT Bantam Boys division delivered a thrilling four-way playoff finale, with Jack Guo, 13, of West Vancouver, BC, (71, 72) emerging victorious on the third extra hole. Guo outlasted an impressive trio of challengers: Jackson Wang, 13, of Langley, BC (77, 66), who earned his spot in the playoff with a remarkable 11-stroke bounce-back in round two; Jayden H X Zhu, 13, of Surrey, BC (73, 70); and Kaden Phan, 14, of Vancouver, BC (70, 73).

 

Guo credited his off-season grind for the win: “I practiced for this season in Arizona and practiced every day. I was pretty motivated because I really wanted to play better this season.” When asked about the tournament, he didn’t hold back: “11/10, very, very good. Staff are great and supportive.”
 

MJT Peewee Boys: Canal Course: Par 72, Ydg 5657, Slope/Rating 114/68.8
1. James C.R. Qiu (12), Surrey, BC | 74, 69 (143)

2. Minxing Matt Li (12), Surrey, BC | 75, 70 (145)      

3. Theo Zhou (11), West Vancouver, BC | 75, 74 (149)

James C.R. Qiu, a 12-year-old from Surrey, BC, came out on top in the MJT Peewee Boys division with steady rounds of 74 and 69 (143), highlighted by five birdies and a confident second-round finish. Qiu credited his off-season improvements for the strong start, sharing, “I improved my putting over the winter and changed my irons,” while also giving a special shout-out to his biggest supporter: “My dad helps me.” A strong performance and a solid game plan — the perfect recipe for a division win!

 

MJT Girls 15-19: Canal Course: Par 72, Ydg 5657, Slope/Rating 123/71.9
1. Jenny Guo (13), West Vancouver, BC | 73, 71 (144)          

2. Doris Xiaotong Liu (15), Vancouver, BC | 74, 72 (146)       

3. Mandi Wang (16), Surrey, BC | 74, 75 (149)

Low Overall Girls score was fired by Jenny Guo of West Vancouver, BC, who impressed in the MJT Girls 15-19 division with rounds of 73 and 71 (144), highlighted by five birdies over two days of steady play. Guo credited her pre-season prep in Arizona for helping her start the season strong, but she’s keeping her outlook light: “My goal for the rest of the season is to have fun.”
 

MJT Girls U15: Round 1: Canal Course: Par 72, Ydg 5657, Slope/Rating 123/71.9
1. Bihan (Bella) Yang (13), Vancouver, BC | 72, 77 (149) *Won playoff
2. Rikki Liu (13), Vancouver, BC | 76, 73 (149)           

3. Christy Man (13), Richmond, BC | 80, 77 (157)      

3. Lucy Li (11), Vancouver, BC | 78, 79 (157)

Bihan (Bella) Yang, 13, of Vancouver, BC, captured the MJT Girls U15 division title in dramatic fashion, winning a one-hole playoff with a clutch birdie after finishing tied at 149 (72, 77) with Rikki Liu, also 13 and from Vancouver. Yang tallied four birdies over the two rounds and credited her off-season focus and support team for the win: “I did my best to stay focused and work on my game throughout the off-season, and I will continue to do so in the future,” she shared. “My dad and my coach have both been so supportive and have helped me to improve and be successful.”


Qualified Players: 

BC Jr. Boys Championship: 
Jaden August

 

Junior Boys: Blake Newell

Juvenile Boys: Jaden August

Bantam Boys: Jack Guo

15-19 Girls: Jenny Guo

 

Jaden August

 

Junior Boys: Blake Newell

Juvenile Boys: Jaden August

Bantam Boys: Jack Guo

15-19 Girls: Jenny Guo

U15 Girls: Bihan (Bella) Yang

 

Jaden August

Jenny Guo

 

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