Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

A three-day test of junior golf brought 115 talented athletes aged 19 and under to Olds, AB, from August 4–6, as the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) staged the MJT Ford Series at Olds Golf Club. Drawing competitors from across Alberta and neighbouring British Columbia and Saskatchewan, the WAGR-ranked Elite Series event featured three rounds of high-level competition amid cool summer conditions.
 

Six divisions took to the course with plenty at stake, including custom Maple Leaf crystal trophies, prizing from ZEAL Optics, and a direct qualifying opportunity into the MJT National Tour Challenge in Ontario later this fall. Adding another element of excitement, Cam Clark Ford Olds put a brand-new Ford up for grabs for any player who could record a hole-in-one on the designated contest hole.

Cochrane, AB’s Mike Bosanko, 17, found another gear after his opening round, following a 75 with consecutive 70s to secure the MJT Junior Boys title at 215. His 54-hole effort included 13 birdies and an eagle, with a late adjustment before the tournament proving valuable. “I found my swing the night before. It helped my ball striking and confidence,” said Bosanko, who added, “I always look forward to this tournament. It’s always a great hosting course as well.”

 

Tristyn Anderson of Calgary, AB, topped the MJT Girls 15-19 division with rounds of 79, 75 and 78 for a 232 total. The 16-year-old pointed to her work on the greens as a difference-maker, particularly given the challenge they presented. “Putting was my strongest skill. I think that contributed a lot considering the green difficulty,” she said, adding, “I really enjoyed this event.”

 

Three impressive under-par rounds propelled Calgary’s Jeevin Dhaliwal, 16, to both the MJT Juvenile Boys title and Low Overall honours. Dhaliwal fired rounds of 69, 68 and 71 for a standout 208 total, finishing eight-under for the win while collecting 14 birdies along the way. His approach was anything but conservative: “I attacked a lot of pins, playing aggressive,” he explained. Dhaliwal also gave the tournament high marks, noting, “Pace of play was solid!”

 

At 14 years of age, Edmonton’s Danika Horcica turned in a standout performance among the girl’s field, putting together impressive rounds of 71, 73 and 76 to finish atop the MJT Girls U15 division with a 220 total. Horcica produced nine birdies and an eagle over the three-day championship, showcasing strong scoring ability while sticking to a simple approach: “The goal was to put up a good score and play simple golf.” One of her biggest moments came late in the final round when, “On my 2nd last hole (par 5), I was able to stick my second shot close, securing me a birdie.”
 

Nixen Wilkes, a 14-year-old from Drayton Valley, AB, combined scores of 74, 78 and 75 to take top honours among the MJT Bantam Boys at 227. Wilkes produced seven birdies and an eagle over the 54 holes and felt several parts of his game were clicking. “I found my driving and woods were the strongest part of my game. Also found my putting very good as well,” he said. Reflecting on the tournament, Wilkes added, “I love this event and hope to come back next year.”

 

A steady game plan helped 12-year-old Sutton Ulmer of Calgary, AB, rise to the top of the MJT Peewee Boys division with rounds of 75, 77 and 79 for a 231 total. His strategy was straightforward: “Hit the fairway, green, and two-putt.” Ulmer singled out one long-range conversion in particular, saying, “The shot that helped me was my 30-footer that I made on 13.”

 

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

 

Next up in Alberta is the MJT Edge School Summer Classic at The Canal at Delacour taking place August 10-11 in Delacour. For more information on the MJT and upcoming events, visit www.maplejt.com.

Top Finishers by Division
 

1. Mike Bosanko (17), Cochrane, AB | 75, 70, 70 (215)

2. Milo Abboud (17), Calgary, AB | 73, 73, 75 (221)   

3. Jeheon Jung (18), Surrey, BC | 78, 70, 74 (222)

 

1. Tristyn Anderson (16), Calgary, AB | 79, 75, 78 (232)        

2. Siene Patel (15), Calgary, AB | 83, 80, 79 (242)

3. Charlotte Mix (17), Calgary, AB | 82, 81, 83 (246)

 

1. Jeevin Dhaliwal (16), Calgary, AB | 69, 68, 71 (208)           

2. Bennett Love (15). Red Deer, AB | 73, 70, 72 (215)           

3. Christian Leung (15), Calgary, AB | 73, 73, 77 (223)
 

MJT Girls U15: Olds GC: Par 72, Ydg 5015, Slope/Rating 121/68.6

1. Danika Horcica (14), Edmonton, AB | 71, 73, 76 (220)       

2. Sedona Weitz (13), Calgary, AB | 76, 73, 73 (222)  

3. Belanna Bandola (14), Edmonton, AB | 78, 76, 81 (235)

 

1. Nixen Wilkes (14), Drayton Valley, AB | 74, 78, 75 (227)

2. Judah Hornstein (13), Calgary, AB | 80, 74, 76 (230)          

3. Edwin Park (13), Bentley, AB | 81, 75, 75 (231)

MJT Peewee Boys: Olds GC: Par 72, Ydg 5015, Slope/Rating 112/66.2

1. Sutton Ulmer (12), Calgary, AB | 75, 77, 79 (231)  

2. Kolton Phillips (12), Calgary, AB | 84, 77, 71 (232)

3. Ronnie Li (12), Calgary, AB | 83, 74, 79 (236)

Qualified Players:

MJT National Tour Challenge
Boys: Nixen Wilkes, Bennett Love, Mike Bosanko

Girls: Ain Lee, Tristyn Anderson

About Ford Canada: Ford of Canada and the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) are proud to continue with the successful MJT Ford Go Golf! Junior Clinics - an initiative that introduces golf for free to young people, teaching them a game they can benefit from their entire lives. Many thousands of kids have participated in this program since 2006. Clinics have been held in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan where participating Ford Dealers offer free MJT Ford Go Golf! Junior Clinics conducted by PGA of Canada Professionals to children in their community. Ford and the Ford Dealers Association wish to support amateur sport in their communities by introducing children to golf, encouraging them to learn the fundamentals, and rewarding them for their efforts.
 

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