Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

Canada’s leading junior golf circuit, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), brought a powerhouse field to the stunning Elk Ridge Resort in Waskesiu Lake, SK, for the MJT PLYR Series on August 9–10. Nearly 110 golfers aged 19 and under, hailing from across Saskatchewan, Alberta, and as far as Grand Cayman, teed it up in pursuit of division titles, exceptional prizing from long-time MJT partner PLYR, and valuable Order of Merit points to help secure a spot in the 27th annual MJT National Championship presented by adidas Golf at Orange Lake Resort, FLA, this November.

 

After a wet practice round, the tournament played out under soaring summer heat on Elk Ridge’s scenic, tree-lined layout, challenging athletes to manage both their game and the elements. This stop marked the final of six National events in the MJT PLYR Series, underscoring PLYR’s ongoing commitment to supporting junior golf across Canada.

Brady Guenther, 17, of Saskatoon, SK, emerged victorious in the MJT Junior Boys division after a tense three-way tie at 151 with fellow Saskatoon golfers Braeden Kozak and Griffin Blanch forced a dramatic playoff. All three carded pars on the first hole except Blanch, who was knocked out, leaving Guenther and Kozak to battle on the second. Guenther sealed the win with another steady par to claim the title.

Low Overall Honours for boys and girls respectively were won by Dante Gamble, 16, of Duck Lake, SK, in MJT Juvenile Boys (71-72=143) and Youran (Yoyo) Zhu, 14, of Saskatoon, SK, in MJT Girls U15 (80-84=164). Other strong gameplay led to division wins for Sarah Henderson, 17, from Saskatoon, SK, in MJT Girls 15-19 (168), Hudson Diederichs, 14, from Saskatoon, SK, in MJT Bantam Boys (142), and Adam Stepaniuk, 12, from George Town, Grand Cayman, in MJT Peewee Boys (152).    

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

The next and final event in the province is the MJT Order of Merit Series at The Legends Golf Club in Warman, on August 23-24. For more information on the MJT and upcoming events, visit www.maplejt.com.

Top Finishers by Division
 

1. Brady Guenther (17), Saskatoon, SK | 71, 80 (151) *Won Playoff

2. Braeden Kozak (17), Saskatoon, SK | 72, 79 (151)
2. Griffin Blanch (17), Saskatoon, SK | 75, 76 (151)

Seventeen-year-old Brady Guenther of Saskatoon, SK, emerged victorious in a tense three-way playoff after tying for lead in MJT Junior Boys with a total score of 151. Guenther parred the second extra hole to clinch the win over fellow Saskatoon golfers, Braeden Kozak and Griffin Blanch. “It feels great after not having my best stuff the second day,” he said, adding that his favourite part of the tour is ‘the community and the relationships I’ve built through playing on the tour.’
 

1. Sarah Henderson (17), Saskatoon, SK | 88, 80 (168)

2. Miranda Merriman (15), La Ronge, SK | 87, 91 (178)         

3. Parker Laliberte (15), Meadow Lake, SK | 101, 95 (196)

Saskatoon’s Sarah Henderson, 17, carded 88 and 80 (168) to secure the MJT Girls 15-19 title. “It feels great to win, especially going into Nationals. It gives me an extra confidence boost,” she shared, noting that her favourite part of competing is ‘meeting new people and golfing with other girls.’
 

1. Dante Gamble (16), Duck Lake, SK | 71, 72 (143)

2. Isaac Frei (15), Gray, SK | 79, 77 (156)

3. Ian Davis (15), Saskatoon, SK | 78, 79 (157)

Sixteen-year-old Dante Gamble of Duck Lake, SK, put together a strong performance with a one-under-par 71 in round one and an even-par 72 in round two, finishing at 143 to capture the MJT Juvenile and Low Overall Boys titles. His weekend included nine birdies and an eagle. “It feels pretty good to finally win a tournament after coming up short all year,” said Gamble, who also praised the team behind the events, saying, “Amazing people run these events. Keep doing a great job.”
 

1. Youran (Yoyo) Zhu (14), Saskatoon, SK | 80, 84 (164)

2. Natalie Maunula (13), North Battleford, SK | 86, 82 (168)

3. Alyxa Melsted (12), Wynyard, SK | 89, 89 (178)

Saskatoon’s Youran “Yoyo” Zhu, 14, battled through highs and lows to shoot rounds of 80 and 84 (164) and take the MJT Girls U15 and Low Overall Girl titles. “It feels great, especially since I experienced a few ups and downs throughout the two days,” she said. Zhu shared her mental approach, adding, “I was actually trying really hard to keep my head empty because the best shots come when your head is clear.”
 

1. Hudson Diederichs (14), Saskatoon, SK | 75, 67 (142)

2. Austin Nesbitt (14), Pilot Butte, SK | 74, 69 (143)  

3. Thomas Pilon (14), Saskatoon, SK | 74, 76 (150)

Hudson Diederichs, 14, of Saskatoon, SK, fired an exceptional five-under-par 67 in round two to go with his opening 75, finishing at 142 for a one-stroke victory in the MJT Bantam Boys division. His scorecard featured 10 birdies and an eagle over the weekend. Describing the feeling simply as ‘really good,’ Diederichs also praised the event as ‘very well organized.’

MJT Peewee Boys: Tamarack/Birch: Par 72, Ydg 5204, Slope/Rating 108/65.1

1. Adam Stepaniuk (12), George Town, Grand Cayman | 77, 75 (152)          

2. Hudson Deibert (10), Regina, SK | 77, 77 (154)

3. Cohen Bridge (11), Corman Park, SK | 80, 77 (157)

Adam Stepaniuk, 12, made the trip from George Town, Grand Cayman, worth his while and left with the MJT Peewee Boys title after firing rounds of 77 and 75 (152) for a two-stroke win. He said his thoughts down the final stretch were, “I just made a triple, now let’s make some birdies.” His standout moment? “They give you free (Titleist) golf balls.”

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