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Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour
The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA ProfessionalsPress Release
August 8-10, 2004
Okangan GC, Kelowna, BC
ANOTHER 13 YEAR OLD STANDOUT WINS OKANAGAN JUNIOR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
KELOWNA, B.C. ? Juvenile players ? those aged 16 and under - dominated the headlines during the Canadian Junior Boys Championship last week in Vancouver, BC, with their outstanding scores, and this week 13 year old Riley Wheeldon from Comox continued the trend after shooting 71-67-70 for an eight under par total of 208 during the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour?s Okanagan Junior Championship at Okanagan Golf Club in Kelowna.
The three day tournament, which was Golfweek/Sagarin-ranked, was held on the Par 72 Bear Course and featured competitors from Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba.
Wheeldon, whose total score was low overall for all age divisions in the three day tournament, repeated his victory in this event last season as Boys 13 and under Champion. ?It feels great to defend my title here,? he said. ?I love it up here, the people are nice, the course is nice, it all adds up to feeling good on the course.?
Second place in this division went to Burke Wiebe from Winnipeg, MB (74-77-75=226), third place to Evan Cowan from Coaldale, Alberta (76-77-75=228) and fourth to Brett DeVries from Kelowna (79-71-79=229).
Another event highlight was 16 year old Adam Hadwin from Abbotsford who came off a sixth place finish at the Canadian Junior Championship to shoot an unbelievable seven-under-par 29 on the front nine at Okanagan starting the third round.
Hadwin closed with a 67 for a total score of 224 (82-75-67) to tie for second place in the Boys 14-16 division with Michael Der from Kelowna (75-77-72=224). Four strokes better was Nick McKnight from North Vancouver, who shot 78-70-72 for a 220 total and the winner?s title.
?It feels great to win because the competition and the course were so good,? said McKnight. ?I thought the key to winning this tournament for myself was my iron play.?
Fourth spot in the division went to Brett Barnes from Penticton (81-71-77=229).
The Boys 17 and up Champion was Jared Bragg from Abbotsford, who shot 79-71-75 for a 225 total score. ?It feels not bad to win considering it was my first of the summer,? said Bragg, who is going into his second year of college in Oklahoma on a golf scholarship. ?My strengths were my driving ? I hit a lot of fairways,? he added.
Graeme Welsh from Comox placed second (86-71-72=229) while Chase Osiowy from Calgary, AB (75-75-80=230) and Nick Usher from Comox (74-74-82=230) tied for third place in this division.
13-year-old Ahnna Kim from South Surrey won the Girls division with scores of 78-77-84 for a 239 total. ?My wedge shots were what got me out of tough situations,? said Kim. ?It is my first time winning a tournament and the second time I broke 80. It also feels great to beat my older sister!?
Nari Kim, Ahnna?s sister, came second (85-80-82=247) followed by Lindsay Manion in third place (90-87-91=268).
Division winners in the Mr. Lube Long Drive Competition at the event were Brett DeVries, Chris Lee (Calgary), Kevin Stinson (Mission) and Lindsay Manion.
The Sundog Closest-to-the-Pin Competition winners were Mike Hooper (Kelowna), Michael Lawrence (Richmond), Graeme Welsh and Nari Kim.
The non-profit Boston Pizza-sponsored Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour, formerly the Western Canada Junior Tour, hosts tournaments for boys and girls aged 10 to 23 in four age divisions and is endorsed by PGA Tour veterans Dave Barr and Ray Stewart. It is the only major junior tour in Canada run exclusively by Canadian PGA Professionals. The season ends with the MJT Boston Pizza National Tour Championship at Crown Isle Golf Resort on Vancouver Island September 18-19.
For more information, please visit www.maplejt.com or call 1-877-859-GOLF