Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

Perseverance was the theme of the day at the second annual MJT Northern Alberta Xtreme Classic, where a waitlisted field of nearly 80 junior golfers battled challenging conditions at Stony Plain Golf Course in Stony Plain, AB. Following heavy rainfall that left portions of the course flooded, the two-day tournament on June 20 and 21 was reduced to a single-day competition, but that did little to dampen the competitive spirit on display.

 

Hosted on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), Canada's leading junior golf tour, the event saw players compete in six divisions for custom crystal trophies and fantastic prizing, as well as direct and short-list qualifying opportunities into the MJT National Tour Challenge in Ontario and Jack Newton Junior Golf International in Australia respectively. The support of title sponsor Northern Alberta Xtreme (NAX), Edmonton area’s premier in-school program for golfers in grades 7-12, was greatly appreciated, as they help young athletes pursue excellence both on and off the course.

Edmonton's Everett Braithwaite, 17, navigated the very challenging conditions best in the MJT Junior Boys division, firing a round of 73. Braithwaite stuck to a familiar game plan despite the rain, explaining, "My strategy was the same as usual just keeping myself in the fairway and being smart with my club choices." He also praised the tournament experience, saying, "MJT always does a great job running the events from the course to the staff, the events are always very well done!"

 

Four birdies helped propel Shylee Kostiuk, 16, of Spruce Grove, AB, to the top of the MJT Girls 15-19 division with a score of 77. Kostiuk focused on maintaining consistency in the difficult conditions, noting, "My strategy on the course was just to really focus on contact of the ball since the wet grounds can take over sometimes. I was playing a mini 3 holes at a time to stay focused." She added, "This event was held very well despite the weather."

 

A round of 74 earned Solomon Tong, 16, of Heritage Pointe, AB, first place in the MJT Juvenile Boys division. With rain expected throughout the day, Tong adjusted his priorities accordingly, saying, "Because I knew the conditions would be rainy, my goal shifted from just the score to keeping everything dry and in working order in order to survive the day and post a decent number." His perseverance paid off late in the round, as he reflected, "Coming down the 18th fairway, my determination to shoot even just one stroke better gave me the confidence to hit my final approach shot, which allowed me to have a clutch birdie to end the round."

 

Competing in the MJT Girls U15 division, 14-year-old Danika Horcica of Edmonton, AB, carded a solid 75 highlighted by an eagle and a birdie. Horcica embraced a conservative approach in the wet weather, saying, "Knowing that the conditions were going to be tough I knew had to trust in my game and play a safer round of golf." She also enjoyed the atmosphere throughout the day, adding, "It was lots of fun, and the course was in very nice shape. I also got to play with a really great group of girls who made playing in the rain fun! Thank you MJT!"

 

Calgary's Hudson Lien fired a 77 to lead the MJT Bantam Boys division. The 14-year-old balanced aggressive play with the realities of the weather, explaining, "Knowing that the field was competitive this weekend, I decided to play aggressive and go for most pins. However, the conditions were very challenging given the wind, rain and cold temps." One of the highlights of his round came on his final hole, where he said, "I was fortunate to sink a 25-foot putt for my solo birdie on my last hole."

 

Eleven-year-old Rylan Hryhirchuk of Irma, AB, topped the MJT Peewee Boys division with a score of 76. His focus throughout the rain-shortened championship was on managing the conditions, saying, "Keep my grips dry, focus on ball first contact and make sure my speeds on the green were dialed!" After the round, Hryhirchuk enthusiastically rated the experience, stating, "10/10 I love playing on the MJT! Always a great set up!"

 

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

 

Next up in Alberta is the wait-listed MJT Maui Jim Series at Innisfail Golf Club, taking place June 29-30 in Innisfail. For more information on the MJT and upcoming events, please visit www.maplejt.com.

Top Finishers by Division
 

1. Everett Braithwaite (17), Edmonton, AB | 73         

2. Keith Gunson (17), Edmonton, AB | 75      

3. Liam Salacki (19), Edmonton, AB | 76

 

1. Shylee Kostiuk (16), Spruce Grove, AB | 77

2. Brooke Halbauer (14), Edmonton, AB | 80

3. Ariana He (17), Edmonton, AB | 85
 

1. Solomon Tong (16), Heritage Pointe, AB | 74         

2. Ethan Gibbons (15), Jasper, AB | 76           

3. Brody Black (14), Chestermere, AB | 77
 

1. Danika Horcica (14), Edmonton, AB | 75    

2. Camilla Ruesga (14), Calgary, AB | 80         

3. Kaleia Kurylo (14), Edmonton, AB | 82

 

1. Hudson Lien (14), Calgary, AB | 77

2. Luke Martens (13), St. Albert, AB | 81        

3. Sahib Nagra (13), Edmonton, AB | 84

MJT Peewee Boys: Stony Plain GC: Par 72, Ydg 5064, Slope/Rating 116/66.1

1. Rylan Hryhirchuk (11), Irma, AB | 76          

2. Naveen Tuli (11), Fort McMurray, AB | 88

3. Henry Kyle (11), Spruce Grove, AB | 106

Qualified and Shortlisted Players:

MJT National Tour Challenge

Boys: Hudson Lien, Solomon Tong, Everett Braithwaite

Girls: Kaleia Kurylo, Shylee Kostiuk

Jack Newton Junior Golf Championship (Australia)* shortlisted
Boys: Everett Braithwaite

About Northern Alberta Xtreme: NAX Golf stands as the Edmonton area’s premier in-school program for golfers in grades 7-12, offering its students unparalleled opportunities to elevate their game to elite levels. Our students benefit from exclusive access to premier indoor and outdoor training facilities on a daily basis, as well as world-class, personalized coaching in golf skills and technique, strength and conditioning, and mental performance. NAX Golf Team members also gain exclusive access to college recruitment programs, detailed stat-tracking and analysis, tournament schedule planning and preparation, as well as long and short-term academic planning. Visit www.naxgolf.com

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