Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour
The Road to College Golf, run exclusively by PGA ProfessionalsPress Release
May 4-5, 2024
Winnipeg, MB
MJT adidas Series launches Manitoba season with exciting opener at Kildonan Park
The Manitoba circuit of the non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour, Canada’s number one-played Junior Tour, got off to an exceptional start this past weekend at Kildonan Park Golf Course in Winnipeg, with the second of six National events on the MJT adidas Series. A sizeable field of junior golfers ranging from the ages of nine to 19, and hailing from four provinces across Canada, converged for a display of skill and sportsmanship, vying for top honours in six age divisions.
Low overall Girl and Boy were Keira Krahn, 17, of Carman, MB (76,77=153) and Zostrianos Giordani-Gross, 17, of Brandon, MB (70,68=138), who competed in the MJT Girls 15-19 and MJT Junior Boys divisions respectively. The other high-performing division winners with some great scoring for the two days were Maisy Shewchuk, 11, of Winnipeg, MB, in MJT Girls 8U (162), James (Chenrui) Qiu, 11, of Surrey, BC, in MJT Peewee Boys (152), Hunter Oakden, 13, of Brandon, MB, in MJT Bantam Boys (146), and Brady Comaskey, 15, of Oakbank, MB, in MJT Juvenile Boys (145).
Several juniors qualified for either direct exemptions or short-list consideration into high level competitions such as the PGA Tour Americas-affiliated MJT Future Stars presented by ATB, the East Coast Junior Championship, the FCG Callaway World Golf Championship, and the IMG Junior World Championship. Qualified players are noted below, along with the top finisher scores and winner quotes from each division.
For full tournament results, please visit the MJT website here; results from the Projekt/2UNDR Long Drive, PLYR Closest to the Pin, Booster Juice BounceBack Awards, and Academy Points standings, are posted here.
The next MJT Junior Tour stop in the province is the MJT Zeal Series at St. Boniface Golf Club in Winnipeg, MB, on May 19-20. To register or for more information, please visit the website at www.maplejt.com.
Top Finishers by Division
MJT Girls U15: Par 72, Ydg 5198, Slope/Rating 112/69.2
1st: Maisy Shewchuk (11), Winnipeg, MB | 83, 79 (162)
Maisy Shewchuk, an eleven-year-old from Winnipeg, MB, triumphed in securing the MJT Girls U15 title. Expressing her elation, Shewchuk exclaimed, "I feel great," particularly buoyed by her stellar performance during the 'second round on the front nine.'
MJT Girls 15-19: Par 72, Ydg 5198, Slope/Rating 112/69.2
1st: Keira Krahn (17), Carman, MB | 76, 77 (153)
2nd: India Young (17), Carman, MB | 82, 75 (157)
3rd: Erin Nowicki (16), Winnipeg, MB | 93, 92 (185)
Seventeen-year-old Keira Wu, representing Carman, MB, secured her first MJT victory, locking in both the MJT Girls 15-17 and Low Overall Girls titles. With a remarkable tally of nine birdies throughout the weekend, Wu attributed her success to her consistent performance off the tee, stating, "I was always able to position myself well." She further emphasized the reliability of her putter, affirming, "(It) didn't let me down."
MJT Peewee Boys: 69, Ydg 5198, Slope/Rating 101/64.2
1st: James (Chenrui) Qiu (11), Surrey, BC | 77, 75 (152)
2nd: Grant Secord (12), La Salle, MB | 82, 88 (170)
3rd: Ty Montour (10), Oakville, MB | 92, 89 (181)
Hailing from Surrey, BC, James (Chenrui) Qiu claimed the title of MJT Peewee Boys winner. "I feel very good and very happy to win my first tournament this year,” Qiu exclaimed. "My driver and putter were hot."
MJT Bantam Boys: Par 69, Ydg 5670, Slope/Rating 104/66.3
1st: Hunter Oakden (13), Brandon, MB | 72, 74 (146)
2nd: Austin Nesbitt (12), Pilot Butte, SK | 78, 71 (149)
3rd: Owen Conrad (13), Winnipeg, MB | 76, 83 (159)
The MJT Bantam Boys and 2UNDR/Projekt Long Drive winner was Hunter Oakden, 13, of Brandon, MB, who finished with fantastic scores of 72 and 74.
MJT Juvenile Boys: Par 69, Ydg 5670, Slope/Rating 104/66.3
1st: Brady Comaskey (15), Oakbank, MB | 74, 71 (145)
2nd: Brayden Boge (16), Winnipeg, MB | 75, 73 (148)
3rd: Ryder Pufahl (15), East St. Paul, MB | 78, 71 (149)
Amidst stiff competition, 15-year-old Brady Comaskey of Oakbank, MB, clinched his title with an impressive display of consistency, particularly dominating the front nine. "I feel great," he exclaimed, his satisfaction evident. "I played the tees well." This factor also propelled him to victory in the 2UNDR/Projekt Long Drive competition within his division.
MJT Junior Boys: Par 69, Ydg 5670, Slope/Rating 104/66.3
1st: Zostrianos Giordani-Gross (17), Brandon, MB | 70, 68 (138)
2nd: Hayden Delaloye (18), Neepawa, MB | 71, 72 (143)
3rd: Liam Comaskey (17), Oakbank, MB | 74, 70 (144)
Zostrianos Giordani-Gross, 17, of Brandon, MB, had an outstanding tournament, firing an impressive 68 (-1) in round two to claim the MJT Junior and Low Overall Boys title. When asked about his victory, Giordani-Gross said, “It feels amazing. I have been putting in a lot of work over the winter.”
Qualified Players:
MJT Future Stars presented by ATB: Zostrianos Giordani-Gross (Brandon, MB)
East Coast Junior Championship: Keira Krahn (Carman, MB) James (Chenrui) Qiu (Surrey, BC), Hunter Oakden (Brandon, MB), Brady Comaskey (Oakbank, MB), Zostrianos Giordani-Gross (Brandon, MB)
FCG Callaway World Championship (Direct Exemptions):
Boys 11-12: James (Chenrui) Qiu (Surrey, BC)
Boys 13-14: Hunter Oakden (Brandon, MB)
Boys 15-18: Zostrianos Giordani-Gross (Brandon, MB
Girls 11-12: Maisy Shewchuk (Winnipeg, MB)
Girls 15-18: Keira Krahn (Carman, MB)
IMG Short-Listed Positions (Not direct exemptions):
Boys 11-12: James (Chenrui) Qiu (Surrey, BC)
Boys 13-14: Hunter Oakden (Brandon, MB )
Boys 15-18: Zostrianos Giordani-Gross (Brandon, MB
Girls 11-12: Maisy Shewchuk (Winnipeg, MB)
Girls 15-18: Keira Krahn (Carman, MB)
About adidas Group: The adidas Group is one of the global leaders within the sporting goods industry, offering a broad range of products around the core brands: adidas, Reebok and Reebok-CCM Hockey. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the Group has more than 53,000 employees.
About the MJT: The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour is Canada’s #1 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 supported by partners across various tiers, including Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels. The MJT hosts more than 100 events across Canada, including free Ford Go Golf Junior Clinics, the MJT Mini Tour for 12U and multi-day events for competitive players aged 11-19 which also offer qualifiers for international tournaments. The program has annual awards, scholarships and incentives to help reward 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 the provincial, national, university and professional levels.
Media Contact: Jessica Parker, Marketing & Communications Manager, Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour