Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

A full field of talented young golfers teed it up at KenWo Golf Club in Wolfville, NS, over the May long weekend, as the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), Canada’s number one-played junior golf tour, hosted a premier stop on its Atlantic Canada circuit: the MJT Junior Worlds Qualifier.

 

Competing in tough weather conditions under cold, cloudy skies, athletes battled for titles in six divisions, as well as for direct and short-listed qualifying spots in prestigious events such as the East Coast Junior Championship, FCG World Championship, MJT National Tour Challenge, and the Uswing Mojing Junior World Golf Championship.

Low Overall Honours for boys and girls respectively were won by Kooper MacKay, 16, of Wolfville, NS in MJT Junior Boys (70-73=143) and Lila Bishop, 13, of Port Williams, NS, in MJT Girls U15 (82-82=164). Other strong performances led to division wins for Reid Hart, 17, from O'Leary, PE, in MJT Girls 15-19 (82-83=165), Ben Brown, 16, from Antigonish, NS, in MJT Juvenile Boys (74-72=146), Finn Grinton, 14, of Brookfield, NS, in MJT Bantam Boys (71-78=149), and Theo Zhou, 11, of West Vancouver, BC, in MJT Peewee Boys (77-75=152).

Top finisher scores, highlights of the division winners, and the list of qualified and short-listed players 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 event in the region is the MJT Zeal Series at Countryview Golf Club in Fairview, PE, taking place June 14-15. To register or for more information on the MJT and upcoming events, visit www.maplejt.com.
 

1. Kooper MacKay (16), Wolfville, NS | 70, 73 (143)  

2. Tucker Doiron (16), Stewiacke, NS | 74, 73 (147)   

3. Miles Chute Fall (19), River, NS | 80, 74 (154)

3. Orion Comeau (17), Meteghan, NS | 80, 74 (154)

Sixteen-year-old Kooper MacKay of Wolfville, NS, delivered a confident performance in the MJT Junior Boys division, firing rounds of 70 and 73 (143) with eight birdies to win by four strokes. “It feels amazing, as it’s been a while since my last win,” said MacKay. “So, it feels nice to finally come out on top once again.” When asked which PGA Tour golfer he would choose to tee it up with, McKay picked Bryson DeChambeau, ‘because he is so good with people and would be fun to play with.’ A well-earned win on home turf for the talented Nova Scotian.
 

1. Reid Hart (17), O'Leary, PE | 82, 83 (165)

2. Kate Wyllie (17), Bible Hill, NS | 92, 85 (177)

Reid Hart, 17, of O’Leary, PE, made a statement in her season debut, winning the MJT Girls 15-19 division with rounds of 82 and 83 (165), highlighted by two birdies. “Amazing! It was my first MJT event this season, so it's awesome to start off with a win!” said Hart. When asked which Professional Tour player she would most like to play with, she picked Nelly Korda, ‘because she's my favourite golfer and I really look up to her. I like how she carries herself on and off the course.’
 

1. Ben Brown (16), Antigonish, NS | 74, 72 (146)

2. Luke MacDougall (15), Fall River, NS | 75, 73 (148)           

3. Nathan MacDonald (14), Fall River, NS | 77, 72 (149)

Ben Brown, 16, of Antigonish, NS, continued his hot streak with back-to-back wins on the MJT, taking the Juvenile Boys title with solid rounds of 74 and 72 (146), including three birdies. “Feels really good to win here and go back-to-back,” said Brown, who also praised the tournament, adding, “This was a really good event.”

MJT Girls U15: KenWo GC: Par 70, Ydg 5455, Slope/Rating 123/71.4
1. Lila Bishop (13), Port Williams, NS | 82, 82 (164)

2. Allie Botten (12), Halifax, NS | 159, 147 (306)

Lila Bishop of Port Williams, NS, earned her second straight MJT Girls U15 title, shooting back-to-back rounds of 82 (164) and carding three birdies. The 13-year-old credited her success to “staying positive and not giving up.” When asked which Professional Tour player she would love to tee it up with, Bishop chose Justin Thomas.
 

MJT Bantam Boys: KenWo GC: Par 70, Ydg 5910, Slope/Rating 124/68.0

1. Finn Grinton (14), Brookfield, NS | 71, 78 (149)

2. Jack Grinton (14), Brookfield, NS | 79, 73 (152)     

2. Luke Nickerson (14), Kentville, NS | 76, 76 (152)

Finn Grinton, 14, of Brookfield, NS, claimed his second straight MJT Bantam Boys title with rounds of 71 and 78 (149), highlighted by three birdies and confident ball-striking off the tee. “My driver was really great. I felt like I knew where the ball was going to go before I hit it,” said Grinton. He also praised the event, adding, “It was a really great event and a great golf course.”

MJT Peewee Boys: KenWo GC: Par 70, Ydg 5455, Slope/Rating 120/65.9
1. Theo Zhou (11), West Vancouver, BC | 77, 75 (152)

2. Borden Nicholson (12), Pictou, NS | 82, 78 (160)   

3. Sullivan Campbell (12), Stratford, PE | 81, 80 (161)

Theo Zhou, 11, all the way from West Vancouver, BC, put together rounds of 77 and 75 (152) with five birdies to secure the MJT Peewee Boys title, closing strong with a clutch back nine in the final round. “Amazing. All kinds of feelings. Mostly just relief and joy,” said Zhou. “I feel like I was finally able to get it done and finish off strong with a great mentality from that back nine yesterday.” Zhou’s win not only capped off a strong performance — it sent the title all the way back to the West Coast from Atlantic Canada, showcasing his coast-to-coast competitiveness on the MJT circuit

Qualified and Shortlisted Players:
 

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