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Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA Professionals

Press Release

May 23-24, 2004
Brampton, ON

For Immediate Release?May 25, 2004

TWO MORE PLAYERS WIN SPOTS TO INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
ON MAPLE LEAF JUNIOR GOLF TOUR


Brampton, ON ? Two young golfers from Ontario will be heading to take part in major international tournaments after winning their divisions in a Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour event at Lionhead Golf Club in Brampton this past weekend.

The two day Lionhead tournament featured one round on the Legends course and one on the Masters course, and was the opening event of the Ontario season for the Boston Pizza-presented Maple Leaf Junior Tour. The event was to qualify one boy for the 52nd annual East Aurora International Junior Masters (EAIJM) in New York, and another for the 3rd annual International Junior Golf Team Matches in Cuernavaca, Mexico, in addition to providing a quality, competitive golfing experience for all players.

Tough conditions affected scoring, with rainstorms and lightning causing delays and shortening the first round for some divisions, and gusting wind with showers during the second round. ?As bad as the weather was the first day,? said Ashley Chinner, Tournament Director and two-time Canadian PGA National Champion, ?the second day was worse with the wind.?

Paul Deuzeman from Cobourg won the Boys 17 and up division with scores of 76-79 (155) and secured the EAIJM exemption to New York. Deuzeman, who credited his patience for the win, took the title over Jason Wellings from West Flamborough (78-79=157). In third place was Wesley Stanford from Angus (79-79=158), followed by Mikhail Pasic from London in fourth place (79-80=159).

Mike Mottola from Niagara Falls won the Boys 14-16 division in a three-way play-off with Cody Pickard from Thornhill and Alan Wood from Oakville. The win also earned him a spot on the Maple Leaf Team ? the sole Canadian contingent in the International Junior Golf Team Matches in Mexico this August.

?Keeping my focus and composure helped me win,? said Mottola, who shot 68-78 (146) for 33 holes and clinched the title with a birdie on the first play-off hole. ?Winning felt wonderful ? it is my first time (winning) and it felt great to finally break through.?

The Girls division was won by Carolyn Halinda from Fonthill (48-96=144), who felt the key to her victory was her straight shots. ?It always feels good to win. What helped me win was the good company I was with,? she added.

Runner-up was Kathryn Corbiere from Manitoulin Is., followed by Jenny Halinda from Fonthill in third place.

In the Boys 13 and under division, the title was captured by Jonny Ringo from Brampton who used his home course advantage to score 62-78 (140) for 32 holes.

?It feels awesome to win ? you just go crazy,? said Ringo. ?The golf course was very wet and soft and the greens were much slower than in the past, but I?ve had many practice rounds here which helped me win.?

Tied in second place behind Ringo were fellow Oakville residents Barrett McCarthy (71-89=160) and Brian Churchill-Smith (69-91=160), followed by David Mathers from Kitchener in fourth place (70-91=161).

Ringo also won both the Mr Lube Long Drive and the Sundog Closest-to-the-Pin Competitions for his division. Other division winners in the skills competitions were Christopher Reinhart (Kitchener), Mikhail Pasic, Jenny Halinda (Fonthill), Alan Wood, Anthony Francella (Toronto) and Carolyn Halinda.

The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour, now in its sixth season, is presented by Boston Pizza and hosts tournaments for boys and girls aged 10 to 23 in four age divisions. The non-profit Tour is endorsed by PGA Tour veterans Dave Barr and Ray Stewart and is the only major junior tour in Canada run exclusively by Golf Professionals.

The next local Maple Leaf Tour event is at Timber Ridge Golf Club in Brighton, June 12-13. For more information, please call 1-877-859-GOLF or visit www.maplejt.com.