Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

Canada’s most played and most competitive junior circuit, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), brought its Mini Tour to Whispering Ridge Golf Course in Brooklin, ON, on August 23. Known for its rolling fairways and welcoming layout, Whispering Ridge offered the perfect stage for a strong field of 12U athletes to battle across five division for medals, exceptional prizing, and the last chance to earn ranking points to see who finishes as overall Order of Merit winners.

The young golfers rose to the challenge, and their efforts culminated in some standout performances resulting in division titles for Niklas Zierik, 12, of Collingwood, ON, in MJT Boys 11-12 (65), Jingyan Meng, 11, of Markham, ON, in MJT Girls 11-12 (74), Bennett Murray, 8, from Oakville, ON, in MJT Boys 9-10 (80), Lanai Park, 9, from Oakville, ON, in MJT Girls 9-10 (68), and Logan Metzen, 8, from Etobicoke, ON, in MJT Boys 8U (76).

Quotes from the division winners and top finisher scores are detailed below. Full results, as well as winners of the Closest-to-the-Pin competition, are posted on the MJT website here.

The next and final MJT Mini Tour event in the province is at Merry-Hill Golf Club, taking place August 30 in Breslau. For more information on the MJT and upcoming events, visit www.maplejt.com.
 

1. Niklas Zierik (12), Collingwood, ON | 65     

2. Eric Kim (12), Toronto, ON | 73      

3. Jaxon Mitchell (11), Burlington, ON | 75

Collingwood, Ontario’s Niklas Zierik, 12, fired a sizzling even-par round of 65 highlighted by five birdies in MJT Boys 11-12. “It’s unreal. I shot an insane round out there. I had many great holes, shots, and putts, and some birdies,” he said. He added that the competition kept him sharp: “I’m on edge waiting to see the scores come in. I love meeting new people, having fun, and shooting low.”

 

1. Jingyan Meng (11), Markham, ON | 74      

2. Brinley Lau (11), Toronto, ON | 75

At just 11 years old, Jingyan Meng of Markham, ON, edged out her fellow competitor by a single shot with a score of 74 to close out the MJT Girls 11-12 division. When asked what her favourite part of the MJT is, she laughed and said, “Every single thing.” She also described her close battle: “Me and Brinley had some fun things, like sometimes she was winning by a few strokes, but sometimes I’d catch up.”
 

1. Bennett Murray (8), Oakville, ON | 80        

2. James Plunkett (9), Guelph, ON | 84          

3. Roger Jackson (9), Ajax, ON | 89

Bennett Murray, only 8 years old from Oakville, ON, showed poise with a round of 80, cruising to a four-stroke victory to claim the MJT Boys 9-10 title.
 

1. Lanai Park (9), Oakville, ON | 68     

2. Islay Oh (9), Toronto, ON | 76        

3. Chloe Wang (9), Markham, ON | 80

Oakville’s Lanai Park, age 9, put together a stellar round of 68 to secure the MJT Girls 9-10 title. “I feel good to win this tournament,” she said, before adding a heartfelt message: “Thank you for this tournament and keep up the good work, team!!”

MJT Boys 8U: Whispering Ridge: Par 65, Ydg 3902, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Logan Metzen (8), Etobicoke, ON | 76

Etobicoke’s Logan Metzen, age 8, shot 76 while taking on the challenge of the MJT Boys 8U division. “It feels good to win this,” he shared. “The holes are very hard and it gives me a good challenge.”

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