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The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA ProfessionalsPress Release
September 10-11, 2005
The Fairmont Banff Springs GC • Banff, AB
MJT NATIONAL CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT THE FAIRMONT BANFF SPRINGS GOLF CLUB
BANFF, AB: The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour's official season ending National Tour Championship presented by Boston Pizza was held at the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course in Banff, Alberta, this past weekend, featuring an elite field of top Canadian junior golfers from the Maritimes, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
The players, who qualified during the MJT's regular season for the invitational event, were also vying for spots in the inaugural Canada-USA Team Matches to be held in December at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ.
Play was pre-empted during round one due to horrendous weather conditions, but compensation in the form of near perfect conditions the following day spurred great scores by the time the tournament concluded.
Ontario Golf Association scholarship winner Mark Bania, 18, of Kitchener, Ontario, and Canadian Junior Boys Champion Mitchell Fox, 17, of Okotoks, Alberta, sealed the low overall honours when they each carded excellent five-under-par rounds of 66 on Fairmont's championship course. Bania also captured the MJT Boys 17 and up National Champion title on countback.
“The highlight for me was firing my first bogey-free tournament round in a high class tournament,” said Bania. “This victory gives me the confidence to compete in high class tournaments with the hopes of winning.”
Third and fourth places finishers also stayed below par - Will Porter, 17, of Coaldale, Alberta, shot 69, while Chase Osiowy, 18, of Calgary, Alberta, came in fourth with a score of 70.
The Boys 14-16 division was also determined on countback after Darren Hupfer, 16, of Edmonton, Alberta and Johnny Hall, 16, of Langdon, Ontario both shot 73. Hupfer prevailed over Hall to claim the MJT Boys 14-16 National Champion’s trophy.
“I made lots of birdies and putted well,” said Hupfer. “The competition on the MJT helps my game – it feels good to win.”
There was a tie for third place in the division between Braeden Cryderman, 15, of Huntsville, Ontario and Adam Karim, 16, of Coquitlam, British Columbia, who both posted rounds of 74. Max Gilbert, 15, of St. Georges, Quebec, and Jack Wesche, 16, of Calgary, Alberta tied for fifth with a score of 75.
The MJT Boys 13 and under National Champion was Evan Cowan, 13, of Coaldale, Alberta, who fired 74 to edge Matthew Hamilton, 13, of Vancouver, British Columbia, by one stroke.
“My drive on the #7 Long Drive hole was a highlight for me,” said Cowan. “This win is great for my confidence!”
Bryan Lichimo, 13, of North Vancouver, British Columbia, and Carson Kallis, 13, of Red Deer, Alberta, tied for third in the division with scores of 76.
The MJT Girls National Champion was Sue Kim, 14, of Langley, British Columbia, who shot 74 to beat runner-up Breanne Neufeld, 16, of Coaldale, Alberta, by three strokes.
“I’m getting better at my game,” said Kim. “The MJT helps me because it is competitive. My future goals are to go to university on a scholarship and then try for the LPGA Tour.”
The MJT provincial team competition within the tournament was won by Maple Leaf Team Ontario, comprised of Bania, Hall, Cryderman and Kyle Demeester of Langton. Their combined scores of 287 prevailed over regional representatives selected on lowest stroke averages over the season for four regions, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan/Manitoba and Ontario.
In the divisional Skills competitions, Cowan, Porter, Kim and Ted Cho of Surrey, British Columbia, won the Mr. Lube Long Drive while Kallis, Neufeld, Sean Jedrusiak of Calgary and Jeff Stashuk of Coquitlam, BC, won the Sundog Eyewear Closest-to-the-Pin competition.
National awards, sponsored by Cleveland Golf Canada and Callaway Golf, were also announced:
MJT Cleveland Golf Canada Players of the Year honours went to the following players who demonstrated good sportsmanship and conduct while achieving the lowest stroke average in their division after a minimum of three MJT events in 2005:
Brian Cho, Pitt Meadows, BC
Jonnie Motomochi, White Rock, BC
Judd Blackwater, Fort MacLeod, Alberta
Bari-Lynn Erais, Lethbridge, Alberta
MJT Callaway Golf Ironman Awards for boys and girls who showed dedication and commitment to the game by participating in the most MJT tournaments in their region during the season were earned by:
Kyle Dodman, Abbotsford, BC
Sue Kim, Langley, BC
Evan Cowan, Coaldale, Alberta
Oliver Hunter-Davidson, Calgary, AB
Mackenzie Renner, Lethbridge, AB
Dallas Mengel, Watrous, SK
Burke Wiebe, Winnipeg, MB
Kyle Priest, Cambridge, ON
Carolyn Halinda, Fonthill, ON.
Jesse Skelton, 17, of St. Francois-Xavier, Manitoba, was awarded the MJT Cleveland Golf Canada Scholarship, earning him a $1,000 R.E.S.P.
The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Tour, now in its 7th season, is presented by Boston Pizza and runs multi-day tournaments for young golfers from Vancouver to Halifax. The MJT is Canada’s only major junior tour run exclusively by Canadian Golf Professionals and is endorsed by PGA Tour veterans Dave Barr and Ray Stewart.
The MJT One Day Fall Series in British Columbia finishes the 2005 season in October. For more information on the program, which offers junior golfers bonuses such as scholarships and exemptions into international tournaments, please visit www.maplejt.com or call toll-free 1-877-859-GOLF.
Contact:
Elaine Denton, Marketing & PR
Tel: 1-877-943-1645
Email: edenton@maplejt.com