Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

From first swings to tournament pressure, more than 120 young golfers experienced two very different sides of the game via Canada’s #1 Junior Golf Tour’s Ford-sponsored events at RedTail Landing Golf Club in Nisku, Alberta, over September 5–6. The weekend paired the free Nisku Ford Go Golf! Junior Clinic with the fifth MJT Ford Series stop of the season, bringing together enthusiastic newcomers and top young competitors at the same venue. Kids aged six to 12 were introduced to the fundamentals of golf through the community clinic, while 72 players aged 19U took on RedTail Landing’s championship layout over two days of competition.
 

Together, the two events showcased the broader purpose behind the non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour: creating opportunities for young people to discover the game while providing a competitive pathway for those ready to take it further.
 

For the tournament field, six division titles were on the line alongside custom Maple Leaf crystal trophies and VOVEX Golf Rangefinders. There was also a considerably bigger prize waiting on the course, with Nisku Ford putting a new Ford SUV up for grabs for any player who could deliver a hole-in-one.

Six seasons of MJT competition came to a fitting close for Chase Lassman, 18, of Parkland County, AB, who finished his final Tour event with rounds of 69 and 71 for a winning four-under-par total of 140. The Junior Boys title capped a weekend featuring eight birdies and an eagle, with Lassman determined to ‘just enjoy that it is my last MJT.’ His closing stretch proved decisive after he chipped in for eagle on the 11th to build momentum before birdies on 15 and 16 pulled him back to all square. “Really got some momentum and applied the pressure,” he said of the turnaround.

 

Making the trip across provincial lines from Warman, SK, 17-year-old Letian (Tina) Liu put together great rounds of 78 and 76 to finish at 154 and come away with the Girls 15–19 honours. Five birdies helped Liu throughout the 36-hole event, while her approach remained deliberately measured: “Play everything safe, aim for the middle.” One of her most important moments wasn't a birdie at all, as Liu drained a 40-foot par putt on the sixth hole ‘to keep me moving.’

 

An opening three-under-par 69 put Brody Katers of Edmonton, AB, in front early, and the 16-year-old followed with a 73 to take the Juvenile Boys division at 142. Katers piled up nine birdies and an eagle over 36 holes, with the eagle arriving in spectacular fashion on day one. “I dunked it on hole 6 on the first day for eagle from 138,” he said. Katers gave the weekend an equally emphatic review: “It was great, 10/10.”

 

Kaleia Kurylo, 14, of Edmonton, AB, prevailed by the narrowest of margins in the Girls U15 division, edging the field by one stroke after rounds of 76 and 78 for a 154 total. Five birdies contributed to her performance, but Kurylo credited more than her scoring: “My putting this tournament was definitely the strongest part of my game. My mental game throughout the tournament was also good; I was able to stay focused and calm.” She also gave the MJT experience a 10/10, highlighting the organization, staff and opportunity to see friends on Tour.

 

Patience paid off for Bentley, AB’s Edwin Park, as the 14-year-old emerged one shot clear in the Bantam Boys division with rounds of 73 and 75 for a 148 total. “Throughout this tournament, I stayed patient with myself after a bad shot. I kept it together until the end,” said Park. That composure was complemented by confidence on the greens, including a memorable 10-footer for birdie: “I just knew it was going in, so I hit the ball and watched it roll in.”

 

A nine-shot turnaround propelled 11-year-old William Hadi of Calgary, AB, to the top of the Peewee Boys podium. After opening with an 83, Hadi responded with a much stronger final-round 74 to finish at 157 and claim the division. Among his standout recoveries came on the 13th, where Hadi rebounded from a chunked shot and used a 190-yard hybrid to help save par.

Top finisher scores 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.  

 

The next and final Alberta event is the previously weather-delayed MJT Fall Classic presented by 365 Golf, now set for September 26–27 at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort in Lethbridge. For more information on the MJT and upcoming events, visit www.maplejt.com.

Top Finishers by Division
 

1. Chase Lassman (18), Parkland County, AB | 69, 71 (140)   

2. Warner Zapisocky (18), Edmonton, AB | 68, 74 (142)        

3. Cole Haney (17), Calgary, AB | 73, 72 (145)

 

1. Letian (Tina) Liu (17), Warman, SK | 78, 76 (154)   

2. Brooke Halbauer (15), Edmonton, AB | 80, 77 (157)          

3. Shylee Kostiuk (16), Spruce Grove, AB | 83, 76 (159)         

3. Ariana He (17), Edmonton, AB | 80, 79 (159)

 

1. Brody Katers (16), Edmonton, AB | 69, 73 (142)    

2. Pavel Pietrzykowski (16), Edmonton, AB | 72, 71 (143)     

3. Solomon Tong (16), Heritage Pointe, AB | 73, 72 (145)
 

MJT Girls U15: RedTail Landing: Par 72, Ydg 5466, Slope/Rating 121/70.4

1. Kaleia Kurylo (14), Edmonton, AB | 76, 78 (154)    

2. Belanna Bandola (14), Edmonton, AB | 81, 74 (155)          

3. Logan Nguyen (14), Calgary, AB | 78, 80 (158)

3. Camilla Ruesga (14), Calgary, AB | 76, 82 (158)

 

1. Edwin Park (14), Bentley, AB | 73, 75 (148)            

2. Harrison Wells (14), Edmonton, AB | 74, 75 (149)

3. Nixen Wilkes (14), Drayton Valley, AB | 75, 77 (152)

MJT Peewee Boys: RedTail Landing: Par 72, Ydg 5466, Slope/Rating 99/64.6

1. William Hadi (11), Calgary, AB | 83, 74 (157)

2. Naveen Tuli (11), Fort Mcmurray, AB | 85, 83 (168)          

3. Leo Wang (12), Calgary, AB | 87, 85 (172)

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