Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

The 2026 MJT Mini Tour season in Manitoba came to a fitting conclusion on August 8, as the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) welcomed a great field of young golfers to Shooters Family Golf Centre in Winnipeg for the province’s final event for players aged 12 and under.
 

Competition unfolded across five divisions, with custom MJT medals, fantastic sponsor prizing, and the final Manitoba qualifying spots into MJT Mini Tour Nationals later this month in Tsawwassen, BC.
 

The season finale capped a record-breaking year for the MJT Mini Tour in Manitoba, where unprecedented participation and field sizes throughout 2026 showcased the continued growth of competitive junior golf in the province.

The moment of the day belonged to eight-year-old Avery Meilleur of Ste-Genevieve, MB, who recorded an unforgettable hole-in-one on the par-3 ninth hole en route to a 92 in the MJT Girls 8U division. The ace sparked a special celebration for Meilleur and those around her, and there was no question about her favourite moment: “I shot a hole-in-one!!” Meilleur credited ‘patience, set-up, and contact along with ball placement’ as the strategy behind her round.

 

Caleb O’Brien, 12, made the trip from Melville, SK, worth his while, firing a 61 with two birdies to take top honours among the MJT Boys 11-12. O’Brien pointed to improved iron play as a key factor, saying, “My irons gained a lot of distance and spin, making the par threes easier.” He was equally enthusiastic about the experience at Shooters Family Golf Centre, rating it “10/10” and adding, “Awesome course. Definitely a top executive course.”

 

Winnipeg’s Ben Hill, 9, relied on composure and a straightforward game plan to lead the MJT Boys 9-10 division with a 76. Hill identified ‘staying calm’ as the strongest part of his game, while his strategy was simply ‘hitting the green and making putts.’

 

A score of 83 put 10-year-old Paulina Brunner of Winnipeg, MB, atop the MJT Girls 9-10 division. Brunner singled out the 15th hole as a highlight of her day, recalling, “I got a really good putt,” and gave the tournament a perfect ‘10/10.’

Seven-year-old Liam Penner of Mitchell, MB, closed out the Mini Tour stop with a 77 to earn the MJT Boys 8U title. Penner felt prepared mentally before teeing off, explaining, “My mental game was really good going into this tournament.” His assessment afterward was just as positive: “It was really fun. I had a good time on the course.”

 

Top finisher scores and the list of qualified players are noted below. Full results, as well as winners of the Closest-to-the-Pin competition, are posted on the MJT website here.
 

As the 2026 MJT Mini Tour season in Manitoba comes to a close, we want to thank our members, participants, families, and sponsors for an incredible year. Early Bird Memberships for 2027 will be available in December; more information on the program can be found online at www.maplejt.com.

Top Finishers by Division
 

MJT Boys 11-12: Shooters: Par 57, Ydg 2850, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Caleb O'Brien (12), Melville, SK | 61           

2. Lachlan Froese (11), Winkler, MB | 67       

3. Ethan Sitarz (12), Winnipeg, MB | 69

MJT Boys 9-10: Shooters: Par 57, Ydg 2850, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Ben Hill (9), Winnipeg, MB | 76      

2. Kolt Friesen (9), Winnipeg, MB | 77           

3. Easton Faskerti (9), Stonewall, MB | 79

MJT Girls 9-10: Shooters: Par 57, Ydg 2850, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Paulina Brunner (10), Winnipeg, MB | 83   

2. Makayla McLeod (8), Brandon, MB | 100

MJT Boys 8U: Shooters: Par 57, Ydg 2610, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Liam Penner (7), Mitchell, MB | 77

2. Foster Chekosky (8), Winnipeg, MB | 78    

3. Jack Laing (6), Blumenort, MB | 82

MJT Girls 8U: Shooters: Par 57, Ydg 2610, Slope/Rating 0/0.0

1. Avery Meilleur (8), Ste-Genevieve, MB | 92           

2. Hannah Fullante (8), Winnipeg, MB | 108

 

Qualified Players (*not previously qualified and who meet the scoring requirements)
MJT Mini Tour National Championship
Ben Hill
 

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