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Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour
The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA ProfessionalsPress Release
July 11-13, 2005
Okanagan Golf Club • Kelowna, BC
7-UNDER-PAR FOR MJT?S WEBBER NATURALS OKANAGAN JUNIOR CHAMPION
7-Under-Par for MJT?s Webber Naturals Okanagan Junior Champion
KELOWNA, BC ? The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour?s Webber Naturals Okanagan Junior Championship?s third and final round concluded yesterday at Okanagan Golf Club in Kelowna where 15-year-old Dong Su of Richmond, BC, fired outstanding rounds of 73-68-68 to finish at 7-under par for the low overall tournament score and Boys 14-16 division title.
Tournament Sponsor of the MJT's 54 hole championship on the Quail and Bear Courses was Webber Naturals, one of North America's largest vitamin manufacturers with a large production facility in the Okanagan.
Overall champion Su, whose future goal is to play on the PGA Tour, said he has learned from the MJT how to play well in tournaments, ?and they have lots of good players.? He added, ?I made a lot of birdies on the par fives here. I am really happy to win and thank my Mom for walking with me all three days.?
Runner-up to Su in the Boys 14-16 division was Brandon DeLaurentiis, 16, of Kelowna, who put together excellent scores of 75-70-70 for a one-under-par total score of 215. Tough competition made for a three-way-tie for third place between Ye Jian Wei, 14, of China (80-75-72=227), Francco De Luca, 16, of Maple Ridge, BC (74-78-75=227), and Kyle Dodman, 15, of Abbotsford, BC (76-72-79=227).
Long-time MJT member Kurt Woodman, 17, of Coquitlam, BC, captured his first MJT title as the Boys 17 and up Champion with superb golf (75-71-71 = 217). ?It means a great deal to finally break through and win. Hopefully this just leads to more wins in the future,? said Woodman, who cited the highlights of the event as his eagle on the par four 8th hole on the Quail, and meeting NHL hockey star Jarome Iginla, who was visiting the Okanagan Golf Club.
Second place in the division was claimed by Mark Kohlen, 18, of Salmon Arm, BC, who posted scores of 72-77-76=225. Again, a battle for third place ended in a three-way-tie between Kevin Walz, 17, of Qualicum Beach, BC (78-75-74=227), Kevin Bennett, 18, of Kelowna (77-75-75=227) and Kyle Schinkel, 18, of Surrey, BC (74-76-77=227).
Matthew Hamilton, 13, of West Vancouver, BC, held on to claim victory in the Boys 13 and under division, shooting 74-76-78=228. ?I played well so it means a lot to me to win because it was a tough field,? said Hamilton, who started playing on the MJT when he was 10 years old.
Evan Cowan, 13, of Coaldale, AB, double-bogeyed the final hole to finish two strokes back of Hamilton in second place (76-75-79=230). A superb final round of 73 vaulted Jon Strasdin, 12, of Prince George, BC, into his division?s third place (83-77-73=233).
Muriel McIntyre, 16, of Penticton, BC, also posted an outstanding 73 for her final round to close with a 237 total score in the Girls division.
The division winners in the Mr. Lube Long Drive Competition were Evan Cowan, Dong Su, Matt Hooper, 19, of Kelowna, and Muriel McIntyre. The Sundog Closest-to-the-Pin Competition winners were Matthew Hamilton, Mike Hooper, 14, of Kelowna, and Jordie Morrow, 18, of Langley, BC.
Some of the country?s top juniors have taken part in the MJT, such as Inah Park, the reigning Canadian junior girls? champion, and Darren Wallace, the Canadian Men?s Amateur Champion. Seven out of the Top 10 RCGA nationally-ranked juniors in 2004 have played on the Tour, which is presented by Boston Pizza nationally and endorsed by PGA Tour veterans Dave Barr and Ray Stewart.
The next local event is the fourth annual MJT-BC PGA Junior Championship at Northview Golf Club in Cloverdale, BC, August 2-4. For more information or to register please call 1-877-859-GOLF or visit the Tour?s website at www.maplejt.com
For more information, contact:
Elaine Denton, Marketing & PR
Tel: 604-943-1645
Email: edenton@maplejt.com