Birdie barrage in Bragg Creek at MJT Rocky Mountain Classic
Bragg Creek, AB. – (August 9, 2018) – Players on the Boston Pizza-presented Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour recently traveled to beautiful Bragg Creek, Alberta, for the MJT Rocky Mountain Classic at Wintergreen Golf and Country Club on August 7 and 8, where, amidst a barrage of birdies in the different age divisions, five players directly qualified for the MJT Boston Pizza National Championship in Phoenix, AZ, this November.
These five players were the winners in each of the Boys divisions – Darien Herlick, Nico Aulicino, Rory Huycke, Nolan Collins and Michael Dumont. Huycke, 15, of Calgary, AB, was in the MJT Juvenile Boys 15-16 division, and posted the low overall score from 6247 yards, winning his division title after a close contest down to the last stretch of holes.
Huycke fired rounds of 75-73 (148) and managed to hold off Bridger Atkinson, 15, of High River, AB (77- 74=151) by recording 11 birdies overall including five in his last eight holes to win the division by three strokes. Huycke stated afterwards, “I’m very happy because I haven’t played very well this year. To get a win feels pretty good and I accomplished my goal of qualifying for the MJT National Championship in Arizona this November.”
MJT Junior Boys 17-18: Nolan Collins, 17, of Calgary, took home the MJT Junior Boys title with consecutive sub-80 rounds of 78, 77 (155). Collins beat runner-up Owen MacEachern, 18, also of Calgary, by five shots, after MacEachern fired rounds of 79, 81 (160). “It was fun playing with the pressure of being in contention – finishing on the simple, three-shot par five, 18th hole really suited my game perfectly and helped me win this week,” he said.
MJT Bantam Boys 13-14: 14-year-old Nico Aulicino, of Calgary, fired impressive rounds of 73, 74 (147) from 5913 yards to win the MJT Bantam Boys title. Aulicino’s consistency helped distance himself from the field as he was the only
player in the 70’s each day. He stated that he plays the MJT because ‘the tournaments are really well organized and the courses we play are fun and always in great shape.’ Runner-up in the division was Jaiden Koonar, 13, of Calgary, who was eight shots back (82, 73 = 155).
MJT Peewee Boys 12U: Top finisher in the MJT Peewee Boys division was Darien Herlick, 12, of Weyburn, SK. Herlick opened the tournament with an impressive three-under 69, which included five birdies and an eagle. His second round of 82 was good enough to hold on to the lead and win by six strokes (69, 82=151). This was Herlick’s third win and sixth straight top-two finish in his six appearances on the MJT this summer, however, this was his first win out of his home province of Saskatchewan. “I feel really happy (about the win) because I won in another province for the first time,” he said. Runner-up in the Peewee Boys division was Tate Bruggeman, 11, of Edmonton, AB (74, 83=157).
MJT Girls 15-18: Emily Cornwall, 15, of Calgary (91, 93=184) took home the Hoselton Trophy in the MJT Girls 15-18 division by a total of 22 strokes over Georgia MacKenzie, 15, also of Calgary. Cornwall credited her fine bunker play as the highlight, saying, “My sand shots were great this tournament, definitely saved me some shots out there.”
MJT Girls U15: Brooke Frerichs, 13, from Calgary, finished the tournament strong by recording her best hole of the week on the 16th hole of round two in the MJT Girls U15 division. “It was a par five and I birdied it!” she said. This was Frerichs’ second title of the season.
MJT Collegiate 19-24: The MJT Collegiate division is a new division designed to give competitive golfers an opportunity to keep their game sharp during the summer months while home from University. The winner at Wintergreen was 19-year-old Michael Dumont, of Airdrie, AB (78, 81=159), who ended up winning by three shots over runner up, Curtis Webster, 20, of Calgary (84, 78=162). Dumont stepped up his game on the back nine of the second day shooting one-under, 36, which included three birdies in his last five hole to seal the victory.
Full results and highlights from the MJT Alberta Rocky Mountain Classic at Wintergreen Golf and Country Club are posted online here, showing winners of
the PLYR Long Drive and Closest-to-the-Pin Competitions, and MJT Comeback Awards, and more.
Next week is the International Players Championship presented by Miura at The Fairmont Jasper Park Golf Resort in Jasper, August 13 to 15. Following this major event, the final stop in the province is the MJT Alberta Tour Finale at Kananaskis Country Golf Course in Kananaskis Village, AB, September 29 and 30. For more information or to register, please visit www.maplejt.com or call 1-877-859-4653.
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
