Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

On May 23-24, a wait-listed field of top players on Canada’s leading competitive junior golf tour, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), battled through some of the toughest spring conditions of the season so far while competing in the MJT ZEAL Series at Tarandowah Golfers Club in Springfield, Ontario, one of six premier stops on the national MJT ZEAL Series. Intense wind and rain on day one forced the cancellation of play for the Girls 15-19, Girls U15, and Peewee Boys divisions, while the Bantam Boys, Juvenile Boys, and Junior Boys divisions were reduced to a shortened nine-holes. Cool, wet conditions continued into round two, testing the resilience of all 74 athletes on the challenging links-style layout. 

 

Despite the weather, competitors showed skill and perseverance in the race to win custom crystal trophies and ZEAL Optics sunglasses, courtesy of tournament sponsor ZEAL Optics. Added to the stakes were qualifying opportunities into the Golf Canada NextGen Quebec Championship, MJT East Coast Junior Championship, and the MJT National Tour Challenge.

Markham’s Edward Li, 16, successfully fought the challenging weather as well as all others in the MJT Junior Boys division, capturing the title with rounds of 42 and 71 for a 113 total. Li caught fire in the final round with three birdies as conditions improved on day two, later saying, “It felt good. The weather was better and it was my first good round of the season.” He also praised the tournament staff for their efforts throughout the difficult weather, noting the ‘good management despite the weather.’

In the MJT Girls 15-19 division, 15-year-old Chloe Hassberger of Minesing, ON, claimed the title with a solid final-round score of 77 after weather conditions wiped out opening-round play for her division at Tarandowah Golfers Club.
 

Toronto’s Harry Leopold, 15, secured the MJT Juvenile Boys title after carding rounds of 38 and 72 for a 110 total. Leopold finished strong in the final round, rolling in three birdies while handling the weather like a champion.
 

The MJT Girls U15 division came down to the wire, where 12-year-old Angelina He of Toronto edged the field by a single stroke after posting a score of 81 in the weather-shortened competition.
 

Fourteen-year-old Hudson Lockwood of Oakville, ON, persevered through some of the toughest conditions of the weekend to win the MJT Bantam Boys division with scores of 44 and 71 for a 115 total. Lockwood rebounded impressively in round two with three birdies, saying afterward, “Winning the division title means a lot.” Reflecting on the difficult opening day, he added, “The first day was the worst conditions I've ever played in. But proud I persevered.”
 

The MJT Peewee Boys division produced one of the tightest finishes of the tournament, as Bayden Mitchell, 12, of Cambridge, ON, defeated William Smith, 12, of Port Dover, ON, in a playoff, after both players tied for the lead at 93. Mitchell sealed the victory on the first extra hole with a clutch chip-in par. “Very good, very proud of myself,” said Mitchell after the win. “It was fun and I want to do it again.”

 

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 Ontario is the heavily waitlisted MJT Maui Jim Series at Rebel Creek Golf Course, taking place June 6-7 in Petersburg. For more information on the MJT and upcoming events, visit www.maplejt.com.

Top Finishers by Division
 

1. Edward Li (16), Markham, ON | 42, 71 (113)          

2. Parker MacMillan (16), Tottenham, ON | 41, 74 (115)       

3. Ty Shouldice (19), South Bruce Peninsula, ON | 43, 73 (116)         

3. Rowan Reynard (18), Guelph, ON | 41, 75 (116)

 

1. Chloe Hassberger (15), Minesing, ON | 0, 77 (77)

2. Karina Patel (15), Milton, ON | 0, 85 (85)

3. Emma Hsiung (15), Markham, ON | 0, 87 (87)
 

1. Harry Leopold (15), Toronto, ON | 38, 72 (110)

2. Tate Bristol (16), Toronto, ON | 39, 75 (114)          

3. Justin Chu (16), North York, ON | 38, 76 (114)

MJT Girls U15: Tarandowah: Par 70, Ydg 5775, Slope/Rating 125/71.6

1. Angelina He (12), Toronto, ON | 0, 81 (81)

2. Alicia Chen (11), North York, ON | 0, 82 (82)          

3. Jingyan Meng (12), Markham, ON | 0, 83 (83)

 

1. Hudson Lockwood (14), Oakville, ON | 44, 71 (115)

2. Max Sue (13), Markham, ON | 46, 80 (126)           

3. Jackson Stevenson (14), London, ON | 45, 82 (127)

MJT Peewee Boys: Tarandowah: Par 70, Ydg 5775, Slope/Rating 116/66.2

1. Bayden Mitchell (12), Cambridge, ON | 0, 93 (93) *Won playoff

2. William Smith (12), Port Dover, ON | 0, 93 (93)     

3. Bosco Yang (11), Aurora, ON | 0, 94 (94)

Qualified and Shortlisted Players:

MJT East Coast Junior Championship

Boys: Bayden Mitchell, Hudson Lockwood, Harry Leopold, Daman Grevers

Girls: Angelina He, Chloe Hassberger

 

Boys: Hudson Lockwood, Harry Leopold, Daman Grevers

Girls: Angelina He, Chloe Hassberger

 

Boy: Harry Leopold

Girl: Chloe Hassberger

 

Golf Ontario Jr. Championship (Shortlist)
Due to the weather-imposed shortened format, no players will be shortlisted for the Golf Ontario U17 Championship from this event.

 

About ZEAL Optics: At ZEAL, we build the highest quality eyewear for people like us who live for outdoor adventure. But that is just the beginning of our adventure. We focus on more than just being an eyewear company. We are guided by a simple set of beliefs: Use Less, Give Back, Explore More.

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