Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

A great turnout of 78 juniors teed off the 2024 Atlantic Canada season on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), Canada’s leading junior tour, with near perfect conditions greeting them at the Chester Golf Club in Chester, NS, over the May 25-26 weekend. The young athletes were competing in either a one-day Mini Tour stop for 12U, or a two-day U19 Junior Tour stop which was part of the national MJT Maui Jim Series. Results of the latter are detailed here. 

 

In the MJT Maui Jim Series for elite players, juniors battled it out in six age divisions for the win and were rewarded with a stylish pair of Maui Jim sunglasses. Highlights included a hole-in-one on the 8^th hole of the second day by Jadian Eisenhauer, 18, of Falmouth, NS, in the MJT Girls 15-19 division, along with a playoff between Borden Nicholson, 11, of Pictou, NS, and Holden Urquhart, 12, of Dartmouth, NS, in the MJT Peewee Boys division.           

            

Low Overall score from the furthest tees for Girls and Boys respectively went to Neve Miller, 16, of Dieppe, NB, and Zachary Gaudet, 17, of Truro, NS, who each won their division titles of MJT Girls 15-19 and MJT Junior Boys respectively. 

Other top performing division winners were Sihan Dong, 12, of Campbellton, NB (MJT Girls U15), Borden Nicholson (MJT Peewee Boys in a playoff), Nathan MacDonald, 13, of Fall River, NS (MJT Bantam Boys), and Braden Ahern, 16, of Riverview, NB (MJT Juvenile Boys). Gaudet receives an exemption into the PGA TOUR America’s-affiliated MJT Future Stars Invitational presented by ATB at Northern Bear Golf Club in Sherwood Park, AB, this June, while all winners qualified for the MJT East Coast Junior Championship in Moncton, NB, on July 22-23, at Mountain Woods Golf Club.

 

Top finisher scores and quotes from the division winners are noted below, along with the list of qualified players. Results from the Projekt/2UNDR Long Drive, PLYR Closest to the Pin, Booster Juice BounceBack Awards, and Academy Points standings, are posted here; for full tournament results, please visit the MJT website here.

 

The next stop in the province is the MJT Zeal Series at Sussex Golf and Curling Club in Sussex Corner, NB, on June 8-9, 2024. To register or for more information, please visit the MJT website at www.maplejt.com.

 

1 Sihan Dong, Campbellton, NB, F, 12                                                82-79 (161)

2 Lila Bishop, Port Williams, NS, F, 12                                                 92-84 (176)

3 Frédérique Doiron, Dieppe, NB, F, 14                                             86-94 (180)

 

MJT newcomer, Sihan Dong, 12, of Campbellton, NB, pulled away from the field in MJT Girls U15 as the only one to break 80 on the second day.  “It means a lot to me to win the first tournament of the year,” said Dong.  “It was absolutely exciting for me!”

 

1 Neve Miller, Dieppe, NB, F, 16                                                        81-88 (169)

2 Reid Hart, O'Leary, PE, F, 16                                                            87-88 (175)

3 Kate Pemberton, Falmouth, NS, F, 16                                          86-90 (176)

 

Neve Miller, 16, of Dieppe, NB, played steady golf to earn Low Overall honours and the MJT Girls 15-19 division title.  Miller was ‘very proud of myself for not giving up after a difficult last year.’ 

 

1 Borden Nicholson, Pictou, NS, M, 11                                                82-83 (165) Won Playoff

1 Holden Urquhart, Dartmouth, NS, M, 12                                         82-83 (165)

3 Tony Yazbek, Timberlea, NS, M, 11                                                    90-83 (173)

 

Borden Nicholson, 11, of Pictou, NS, made a par on the first extra hole to win the MJT Peewee Boys division title over Holden Urquhart of Dartmouth, NS.  “It feels good to win, it was close,” said Nicholson of his victory.  “It is my first playoff win!”

 

1 Nathan MacDonald, Fall River, NS, M, 13                                         73-74 (147)

2 Luke MacDougall, Fall River, NS, M, 14                                             76-75 (151)

3 Carter Lavigne, Moncton, NB, M, 14                                                 76-77 (153)

3 Cole Stewart, Fall River , NS, M, 14                                                   76-77 (153)

 

MJT veteran Nathan MacDonald, 13, of Fall River, NS, played two solid rounds for victory in the MJT Bantam division.  “I am excited and happy,” said MacDonald. “My putting was good and the event was really fun.”

 

1 Braden Ahern, Riverview, NB, M, 16                                                73-79 (152)

2 Tucker Doiron, Stewiacke, NS, M, 15                                               74-79 (153)

3 Duncan MacMullin, Eastern Passage, NS, M, 16                          76-80 (156)

 

Coming off a very good year in 2023, 16-year-old Braden Ahern of Riverview, NB, continued his fine play en-route to triumphing in the MJT Juvenile Boys division.  “It’s my first win on the MJT,” said Ahern of his one-shot victory.  “I am very excited for the rest of the season.  I am finally playing to my potential so should be good.”

 

1 Zachary Gaudet, Truro, NS, M, 17                                                      74-73 (147)

2 Blake Wilson, Windsor Junction, NS, M, 16                                     75-73 (148)

3 Orion Comeau, Meteghan, NS, M, 16                                               74-76 (150)

 

Zachary Gaudet, 17, of Truro, NS, made birdie on the final hole to edge MJT veteran Blake Wilson of Windsor Junction, NS, by one shot to secure the Low Overall honours and MJT Junior Boys title.  “I felt good going into the tournament,” said Gaudet.  “I knew if I played my game, I would put up a good fight.”

 

MJT Future Stars Invitational presented by ATB: Zachary Gaudet (Truro, NS)

 

East Coast Junior Championship: Sihan Dong (Campbellton, NB), Neve Miller (Dieppe, NB), Borden Nicholson (Pictou, NS), Nathan MacDonald (Fall River, NS), Braden Ahern (Riverview, NB), Zachary Gaudet (Truro, NS)

 

World Stars Junior Golf Championship:  Lila Bishop (Port Williams, NS), Reid Hart (O’Leary, PEI), Holden Urquhart (Dartmouth, NS), Luke MacDougall (Fall River, NS), Tucker Doiron (Stewiacke, NS), and Blake Wilson (Windsor Junction, NS)
 

About Maui Jim: Now the fastest growing premium polarized sunglass maker in the world, Maui Jim got its start seeing a need in the market for technology that could combat intense glare and harmful UV while bringing brilliant colors to life.  The Aloha Spirit permeates our philosophy at Maui Jim. Our "ohana" (Hawaiian for family) is passionate about creating the best sunglasses on the planet. Because at the end of the day, we want to see the world at its best - and we know that you do, too, no matter where you live. Aloha, friends! To visit the website, click here.

 

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@maplejt.com 
Marketing Manager, MJT