10 year-old fires impressive 68-70; six new MJT Mini Tour National Champions win US Kids exemptions
Vancouver, BC. (August 25, 2018) – The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s Mini Tour National Championship presented by Ford Canada ran at Tsawwassen Springs Golf Course in Tsawwassen, BC, on August 23 and 24, where Canada’s best players in six divisions of Boys and Girls 8 and under, 9-10 and 11-12, were crowned, and the winners each qualified for the U.S. Kids Golf Monterey Challenge in Monterey, California.
Almost 100 boys and girls took part in the Ford-sponsored events at the well-organized Tsawwassen facility, as the MJT also simultaneously hosted a Cam Clark Ford Go Golf! Free Junior Clinic to introduce beginners to the game as well.
In the tournament, an absolutely incredible two-under par, two-day total score of 138 (68, 70) from 4010 yards was carded by Olivia Wu, 10, of Victoria, BC, awarding her the MJT National Girls 9-10 Champion title. Wu made just three bogeys alongside her five birdies over 36 holes to win by 15 shots over US Kids Golf World Champion, Anna Huang, 9, of Vancouver, BC (73, 80=153). “I’m really happy with the way I managed my way around the course each day,” said Wu. “The course was in great shape which made scoring easier for me.”
MJT National Girls 11-12 Champion was June Hsiao, 11, of Coquitlam, BC, who shot 79, 78 (157) from 4781 yards for a three-stroke victory over Ye Ji Kwon, 12, of Port Coquitlam, BC. This was Hsiao’s third straight Mini Tour victory of the season after already winning playoffs in BC at both Musqueam Golf and Learning Center and Greenacres Golf Course. “My highlight was making three birdies in a row on the first day! Also, I had to make a tough par save on my last hole in order to beat my round one score, and I did,” said Hsiao.
Young Kathleen Dunn, 7, of Surrey, BC, came out to fire impressive rounds for a seven-year-old of 90, 86 (176) from 3000 yards to take home the trophy in the MJT Girls 8U division. “My round today was highlighted by my first fairway wood out of a fairway bunker. I made great contact and it was so satisfying,” Dunn said.
“This was my first year playing competitive golf with the MJT.”
Daniel Xu, 12, of Richmond, BC, got redemption in 2018 after losing in a playoff in 2017, and won the MJT National Boys 11-12 Champion’s title division after finishing strong on day two, shooting a one-under par 69 for a two-day total of 148 (69-79) from 5097 yards. “I feel great winning my division. I am very honoured to win the National Championship,” he said. “I played aggressive all day today, which helped me erase a six-shot deficit.” Runner-up to Xu was Emil Liddell, 11, of Vancouver, who shot solid rounds of 77, 73 for a two-day total of 150.
The MJT National Boys 9-10 Champion was Jaden August, 9, of Pitt Meadows, BC, who shot 78, 68 (146) from 4010 yards to win the title by four-strokes over Michael Li, 10, of Vancouver. August’s tournament was highlighted by a brilliant 68 in the final round to erase a five-shot deficit after the first round. “To record a bogey-free round in a tournament like this is really special to me. It was made even better by capping off my round with a 10-foot birdie on my final hole, the par-three 13th hole,” said August. In 2017, August won the MJT Boys 8U Champion’s title at this tournament.
Jonathon Xia, 8, of Surrey fired 77, 75 (152) from 4010 yards to capture the MJT National Boys 8U Champion title. Xia opened up a five-shot lead over runner-up, Matthew Cui, 7, of Burnaby, BC, after the first round. Cui (82, 72=154) did his best to battle back, but ran out of holes as Xia held on for a two-shot victory. “I am really happy about winning this final event of 2018,” said Xia. “There were a lot of great players here this week and I feel very honoured.”
PLYR Closest-to-the Pin awards were handed out for each division, both days of the event. The MJT Comeback Awards for the biggest improvement from round one to round two were also presented. All prize winners are listed on the MJT website here, along with a photo gallery. Each divisional Champion also received direct exemptions into the US Kids Golf Monterey Challenge in California this November.
A successful 2018 season is now over for the MJT Mini Tour. Early-bird membership will open in December for the 2019 season and details will be posted at www.maplejt.com.
About Ford: Ford of Canada employs over 23,000 talented individuals in the fields of finance, sales and marketing, information technology, manufacturing and engineering, and human resources. This diverse workforce is responsible for the manufacturing and assembly operations that bring 320,000 vehicles and 425,000 engines to market. At Ford we are proud to be Canada’s longest-established automaker and remain committed to building a strong future in Canada. www.ford.ca
About the MJT: The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour presented by Boston Pizza is Canada’s number one-played 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 presented nationally by Boston Pizza and supported by valued Premier, Tournament and Product Partners. The MJT hosts more than 70 events across Canada, including free Ford Go Golf Junior Clinics, the MJT Mini Tour for 7-12 year olds, the Collegiate Tour for 19-23 year olds, and multi-day events for competitive players aged 11 to 18 which are also qualifiers for international competitions. The program offers annual awards, scholarships, and frequent player incentives to help reward player’s 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 provincial, national, university and professional level. For more information on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour, please visit www.maplejt.com
Media Contact: Russ MacKay, Operations Manager, Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour rmackay@maplejt.com 1-877-859-GOLF www.maplejt.com
