Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

A rising tide of young talent rolled through Kildonan Park Golf Course in Winnipeg, MB, on June 28, as the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), Canada’s leading junior tour, hosted its latest Mini Tour stop in the province. A field of 12U athletes competed in five divisions for titles and qualifying spots in the MJT Mini Tour National Championship at Tsawwassen Springs Golf Course in British Columbia later this summer. With record numbers being seen across Manitoba this season, the event underscored the province’s surging momentum with new growth in the 12U field, along with the continued growth of junior golf nationwide.

A thrilling finish in the MJT Boys 11–12 division saw Winnipeg’s Ethan Sitarz, age 10, come out on top in a deadlock with 12-year-old Aaron Hill. After both players posted tied rounds of 80, the countback tiebreaker tipped in Sitarz’s favour to seal the victory.

Other exciting division victories went to Ronee Clare Dungca, 9, of Winnipeg, MB, in the MJT Girls 9-10 division due to a standout 5-under 67, Sadie Blazeiko, 12, of Winnipeg, MB, in MJT Girls 11-12 (81), Noah Lafreniere, 10, from St. Pierre-Jolys, MB, in MJT Boys 9-10 (79), and Easton Faskerti, 8, from Stonewall, MB, in MJT Boys 8U (88).

Quotes from the division winners, top finisher scores and the list of qualified players are detailed below. Full results are posted on the MJT website here.

The next MJT Mini Tour event in the province is at The Players Course, in Winnipeg, on July 19. For more information on the MJT and upcoming events, visit www.maplejt.com.
 

1. Ethan Sitarz (10), Winnipeg, MB | 80         

2. Aaron Hill (12), Winnipeg, MB | 80

3. Owen Shields (11), Winnipeg, MB | 84

A thrilling finish in the MJT Boys 11–12 division saw Ethan Sitarz of Winnipeg, MB, edge out fellow local Aaron Hill after both players carded rounds of 80. Sitarz emerged victorious based on a countback, calling the win a ‘kind of a gift’ ahead of his birthday the next day. “I love to meet new friends and play golf, and I love the events,” he added, reflecting on his MJT experience.
 

1. Sadie Blazeiko (12), Winnipeg, MB | 81      

2. Annika Gording (12), East St Paul, MB | 97

3. Lindley Kurz (12), Steinbach, MB | 124

Twelve-year-old Sadie Blazeiko of Winnipeg, MB, kept her cool under pressure at Kildonan Park, firing an 81 to capture the MJT Girls 11–12 title. “Winning this tournament feels great! I kept a positive mindset, which helped a lot,” she shared. Blazeiko also praised the event staff, saying, “Everyone working is so friendly!”
 

1. Noah Lafreniere (10), St. Pierre-Jolys, MB | 79      

2. Mason McLeod (9), Brandon, MB | 86       

3. Levi Penner (9), Oakbank, MB | 93

Ten-year-old Noah Lafreniere of St. Pierre-Jolys, MB, delivered a steady round of 79 to take top honours in the MJT Boys 9–10 division. “It felt good because I like playing MJT events and I looked forward to winning this event,” he said. He added, “There are good players to compete against, and I like that there’s advanced tees for my age group.”

MJT Girls 9-10: Kildonan Park: Par 72, Ydg 3600, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Ronee Clare Dungca (9), Winnipeg, MB | 67          

2. Leah Klippenstein (9), Portage La Prairie, MB | 98

Winnipeg’s Ronee Clare Dungca, age nine, turned heads with a spectacular five birdies and an eagle on her way to a five-under-par 67 in the MJT Girls 9–10 division. “Amazing!” she exclaimed. “My goal was to go under.” She wrapped up her win with a simple message: “Thank you for a great tournament!”

MJT Boys 8U: Kildonan Park: Par 69, Ydg 3000, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Easton Faskerti (8), Stonewall, MB | 88      

2. Liam Penner (6), Mitchell, MB | 95

3. Owen Graveline (8), St. Adolphe, MB | 97

Making his mark in the MJT Boys 8U division, eight-year-old Easton Faskerti of Stonewall, MB, broke through for his first MJT win with a score of 88. “Good, really good. I have never won an MJT tournament before now,” he said. As for the best part? “Just playing and making new golf buddies.”

Qualified Players (must meet scoring criteria):
MJT Mini Tour National Championship at Tsawwassen Springs Golf Course

Boys: Easton Faskerti, Noah Lafreniere, Aaron Hill, Ethan Sitarz

Girls: Ronee Clare Dungca, Sadie Blazeiko

 

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