Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

After having to re-schedule the Ford-sponsored events at Olds Golf Club in Olds, AB, due to torrential rains earlier this month, Canada's leading junior golf tour, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), returned to Olds on July 14 to host a free Cam Clark Ford Olds Junior Clinic for youth in the community aged 6 to 12, alongside a competitive one-day tournament for young golfers aged 12U on the MJT Mini Tour. The sun shone down on the participants at last, making for a great day of golf.

 

Results of the tournament are detailed below, where players battled across six divisions for custom medals, fabulous prizes, and qualifying spots into MJT Mini Tour Nationals at Tsawwassen Springs Golf Course in British Columbia next month. 

 

A highlight of the tournament came when 11-year-old Rylan Hryhirchuk of Irma, AB, edged Caleb Topshee, 12, of Rocky View County, AB, in a playoff, to capture the MJT Boys 11-12 title after both players finished regulation tied for the lead at 79. Hryhirchuk said having ‘my mom as my caddy’ played a key role throughout the day, while his focus over the closing holes was simply ‘to not thin it across the green.’
 

Calgary's Lila Skeates, 12, earned the MJT Girls 11-12 title by a single stroke after carding an 80. She pointed to ‘my dad as my caddie and my Coach’ for helping her stay focused throughout the round, and praised both the venue and tournament, saying, "It was good pace of play, and the course was in great shape. Fun to play."

 

Jacob Topshee, 10, of Rocky View County, emerged from a tightly contested MJT Boys 9-10 division with a winning score of 78. Topshee thanked ‘my family and coach’ for helping him reach the top of the podium, while keeping his game plan simple: "I just played my game."

 

Ten-year-old Blake Nguyen of Calgary, AB, added another victory to her impressive season after posting a 96 in the MJT Girls 9-10 division. Nguyen said her father helped her control her emotions, while playing alongside her ‘favourite sister’ motivated her to perform her best. She also praised the event, adding, "MJT is top notch, as always. Olds Golf Club is in great condition and the length suits my game. Looking forward to next year."

Calgary's Milan Bhamra, 8, continued his strong season with another podium finish after recording a 77 to top the MJT Boys 8U division. His objective throughout the round was straightforward: "Just get a pin." Asked to rate the experience, Bhamra enthusiastically replied, "10/10 again and again."

 

And finally, eight-year-old Jagger Nguyen of Calgary came out to compete in the MJT Girls 8U division, carding a 93. Nguyen thanked ‘my mom who had faith in me’ and enjoyed playing alongside her older sister, Blake, saying it helped give her ‘the drive to do well.’ Reflecting on the day, she stated, "This course is especially fun and challenging because we have to think about which club is best to use as each hole is different. Thank you MJT for hosting such fun events!"

 

Top finisher scores and the list of qualified players are noted below. Full results and winners of the Long Drive and Closest-to-the-Pin competitions are posted on the MJT website here.
 

The next MJT Mini Tour event in the province is the MJT Mini Tour at Triple Creek Golf Club
in Millet on August 13. For more information, or to view the upcoming Alberta MJT Mini Tour schedule, please visit www.maplejt.com.

Top Finishers by Division
 

MJT Boys 11-12: Olds GC: Par 72, Ydg 5031, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Rylan Hryhirchuk (11), Irma, AB | 79 *Won Playoff

2. Caleb Topshee (12), Rocky View County, AB | 79   

3. Wyatt Lazic (12), Calgary, AB | 81

 

1. Lila Skeates (12), Calgary, AB | 80   

2. Mia He (11), Edmonton, AB | 81     

3. Rylee Bain (12), Edmonton, AB | 83

MJT Boys 9-10: Olds GC: Par 72, Ydg 4001, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Jacob Topshee (10), Rocky View County, AB | 78   

2. Mika Bhamra (10), Calgary, AB | 80            

3. Naeem Fazel (10), Calgary, AB | 82

3. Jones Estabrooks (10), Leduc, AB | 82        

3. Isaiah Asefaw (9), Edmonton, AB | 82

MJT Girls 9-10: Olds GC: Par 72, Ydg 4001, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Blake Nguyen (10), Calgary, AB | 96           

2. Yuna Hwang (9), Calgary, AB | 118

 

1. Milan Bhamra (8), Calgary, AB | 77

2. Luke Desy (8), Calgary, AB | 104     

3. Lucas Rieder (8), Calgary, AB | 117

MJT Girls 8U: Olds GC: Par 72, Ydg 3110, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Jagger Nguyen (8), Calgary, AB | 93            

 

 

Boys: Jacob Topshee, Rylan Hryhirchuk

Girls: Rylee Bain
 

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