Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

The 2026 season for 12U golfers on Canada’s #1-played Junior Golf Tour, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour, teed off with the MJT Mini Tour FCG Worlds Qualifier at Hazelmere Golf Club in Surrey, BC, on March 16, where a determined field of young athletes battled to capture the first division titles of the year in challenging weather conditions.

 

The players competed in six age divisions, aiming not only for early-season bragging rights, but also for valuable qualifying spots into two sought-after championships. The event served as a direct qualifier for all divisions into the MJT Mini Tour National Championship, set for August 30–31 at Tsawwassen Springs in BC, and for 10U players into the FCG World Championship in Rancho Mirage, CA.

 

A rain delay, soaked greens and some flooding on the course tested the field, ultimately reducing play to nine holes for all but one division (Boys 8U). The young competitors persevered through the conditions with the first medals of 2026 going to six deserving division winners: Dylan Murphy, 12, of Nanaimo, BC, in MJT Boys 11-12 (37), Luchen Yang, 12, of Vancouver, BC, in MJT Girls 11-12 (38), James Padron, 10, from Richmond, BC, in MJT Boys 9-10 (35), Annabel Zhao, 9, from Richmond, BC, in MJT Girls 9-10 (38), Sawyer Morrow, 7, of Vancouver, BC, in MJT Boys 8U (41), and Anna Song, 8, of Vancouver, BC, in MJT Girls 8U (44).

 

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

The next MJT Mini Tour event in the province is the Junior Worlds Qualifier at Pitt Meadows Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, BC, on March 24. For more information, or to view the upcoming British Columbia MJT Mini Tour schedule, please visit www.maplejt.com.

Top Finishers by Division
 

1. Dylan Murphy (12), Nanaimo, BC | 37        

2. Kaiwen Jiang (11), Maple Ridge, BC | 40    

3. Benjamin Qin (11), Vancouver, BC | 41      

3. Ethan Shi (11), Burnaby, BC | 41     

3. Oscar Zhang (11), Vancouver, BC | 41

A strong start to the season saw Dylan Murphy (12), of Nanaimo, BC, claim the MJT Boys 11-12 title with an impressive 37, finishing three strokes clear in a highly contested field. “It feels good to be first,” said Murphy, celebrating his breakthrough. “This is my first time winning an actual tournament.” He credited his success to ‘my off the tee play,’ which proved to be the difference-maker in the challenging conditions.

 

1. Luchen Yang (12), Vancouver, BC | 38        

2. Stella Sun (10), White Rock, BC | 40           

3. Hannah Hou (11), Vancouver, BC | 43

In the MJT Girls 11-12 division, (Crystal) Luchen Yang (12), of Vancouver, BC, captured the title with a score of 38 in her very first competition in Canada. “I’m very excited… I’m really happy to finish the game with my group members,” she said, also thanking the organizing committee for their efforts. Admitting to early nerves, Yang shared, “My mom told me not to be nervous and not to be too relaxed either, I think I was in between.” This balance helped guide her to victory.

MJT Boys 9-10: Hazelmere: Par 36, Ydg 3600, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. James Padron (10), Richmond, BC | 35      

2. Liam Chang (10), Victoria, BC | 38  

3. Allen Kong (10), Vancouver, BC | 42

James Padron (10), of Richmond, BC, delivered one of the standout rounds of the day, carding a 35 with four birdies to take the MJT Boys 9-10 title. “It feels amazing! Not only because I won, but because I played my best even with the cold, rain, and some setbacks,” he said. Reflecting on the experience, Padron added, “This event was very fun and lots of big memories I will take with me!”

MJT Girls 9-10: Hazelmere: Par 36, Ydg 3600, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Annabel Zhao (9), Richmond, BC | 38         

2. Yoyo Zhang (9), Richmond, BC | 39

3. Paris Liu (8), Richmond, BC | 41      

3. Remilia Wang (10), Burnaby, BC | 41

A close battle in the MJT Girls 9-10 division saw Annabel Zhao, 9, of Richmond, BC, edge out a single-point victory over Yoyo Zhang, 9, also of Richmond, with a score of 38. “It felt great because it was the first tournament of the season,” said Zhao, who rated the event a perfect ‘10/10.’

 

1. Sawyer Morrow (7), Vancouver, BC | 41    

2. Gavin Shi (8), Burnaby, BC | 45       

3. Tristan Liu (7), Surrey, BC | 51

In the MJT Boys 8U division, Sawyer Morrow (7), of Vancouver, BC, emerged victorious with a score of 41 in the only division to complete 11 holes. “I feel great about winning the first MJT Tournament of the year and the FCG qualifier,” he said. Morrow also recognized the efforts behind the scenes, adding, “The staff were great to get the event playable,” noting the difficult conditions.

MJT Girls 8U: Hazelmere: Par 36, Ydg 2800, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Anna Song (8), Vancouver, BC | 44

2. Evelyn Wang (7), Bothell, WA | 46

3. Lucy Holmes (6), Chilliwack, BC | 77

Rounding out the divisional winners was Anna Song (8), of Vancouver, BC, who claimed the MJT Girls 8U title with a score of 44, crediting her support system for the win. “The answer to my victory is about having two great coaches… and my mom and dad have been really patient,” she shared. “The most important thing is that I have always loved golf more than any sport.” Song also praised the experience, adding, “The great staff, and I always like the gifts from MJT Tournaments.”
 

Girls: Anna Song, Annabel Zhao

Boys: Sawyer Morrow. James Padron

 

Girls: Anna Song, Annabel Zhao, Luchen Yang

Boys: Sawyer Morrow. James Padron, Dylan Murphy

 

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