Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

The traditional tree-lined Mountain Woods Golf Course in Moncton, NB, saw a whole lot of action on July 22-23 as a great field of junior golfers teed off under hot and humid conditions in the 2024 East Coast Junior Championship, marking the first time Canada’s number one Junior Golf Tour, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour, assumed the running of one of Atlantic Canada’s oldest and most prestigious events.

 

With support from the Nova Scotia Golf Association (NSGA), Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB), and Prince Edward Island Golf Association (PEIGA), the event unfolded as smoothly as the swings on the picturesque course, with juniors showcasing great talent in five divisions. The event featured top notch tee gifting, prizing, refreshments and a Putting Contest, along with the on-course Long Drive and Closest-to-the-Pin Competitions. 

A standout moment came courtesy of 18-year-old Ben Nicholson from Fredericton, NB, who made a record-worthy hole-in-one. On the ninth hole of the second round, from 140 yards out, Nicholson's trusty pitching wedge delivered the perfect shot. This helped lead Nicholson to a well-deserved tie-second finish in the MJT Junior Boys division, whose ultimate East Coast champion was Matthew Brooks, 18, from Halifax, NS. Brooks also won Low Overall honours among the Boys divisions with his two stellar rounds of 70 and 74. The Low Overall honours for Girls was won by Anna Wu, 13, all the way from the west coast, Victoria, BC, who held a strong lead throughout, firing rounds of 78 and 76 to win the MJT Girls U15 East Coast Champion’s title.

Rounding out the podium as MJT East Coast Junior Champions were Tommy Chang, 16, of Dieppe, NB, in MJT Juvenile Boys (70, 75), Luke MacDougall, 14, from Fall River, NS, in MJT Bantam Boys (74, 73), and Archer MacDougall, 14, of Charlottetown, PE, in MJT Peewee Boys (77, 73).            

 

“The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour is privileged to hold this storied event which has a long history of great champions on the East Coast,” said MJT Tournament Director and PGA Professional, Ryan Kingston. “Scores, along with the sportsmanship and etiquette on display, were fantastic, and congratulations to the qualified participants and the champions.”
 

Top finisher scores and quotes from the winners are noted below. 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 stop in the region is the MJT Atlantic Canada Series at Kingswood Resort in Fredericton, NB, on August 3-4, 2024. To register or for more information, please visit the MJT website at www.maplejt.com.

 

1. Anna Wu (13), Victoria, BC | 78, 76 (154)  

2. Lila Bishop (12), Port Williams, NS | 84, 78 (162)   

3. Frédérique Doiron (14), Dieppe, NB | 81, 85 (166)

 

Anna Wu, 13, all the way from Victoria, BC, won the MJT East Coast Junior Girls Champion’s title with a commanding eight-stroke lead. "I attend many tournaments commonly and practice all week long," Wu said about her rigorous schedule. Her secret to staying sharp? "I tell myself to keep up the good work." 

 

1. Archer MacDougall (12), Charlottetown, PE | 77, 73 (150)

2. Hunter Kassam (12), Miramichi, NB | 81, 83 (164)

3. Borden Nicholson (11), Pictou, NS | 81, 85 (166)
 

Archer MacDougall, a 12-year-old from Charlottetown, PE, the MJT East Coast Junior Peewee Boys Champion, has been taking his game to the next level with a unique strategy. "I practiced almost every day and visualized playing each hole in advance," he shared. This approach clearly paid off, as MacDougall now feels more in control during tournaments. "It gives me a big boost of confidence," he said. 

 

1. Luke MacDougall (14), Fall River, NS | 74, 73 (147)

2. Finn Grinton (13), Brookfield, NS | 77, 71 (148)     

3. Carter Lavigne (14), Moncton, NB | 78, 73 (151)

 

Fourteen-year-old Luke MacDougall from Fall River, NS, bagged his first MJT win as the MJT East Coast Junior Bantam  Boys Champion with two impressively consistent rounds. "I like to mentally prepare by building a smart plan for each hole," MacDougall shared, revealing his strategic approach. "I also make three mental game tips and write them on a piece of paper." 

 

1. Tommy Chang (16), Dieppe, NB | 70, 75 (145)       

2. Kooper MacKay (15), Wolfville, NS | 75, 72 (147)  

3. Braden Ahern (16), Riverview, NB | 74, 74 (148)

 

Tommy Chang, a 16-year-old from Dieppe, NB, made a splash as MJT East Coast Junior Juvenile Boys Champion after firing a solid two-under par in the first round, proving that his game is as strong as his appetite. "I stayed hydrated, weight trained with my brother, and ate food my mom cooked," Chang revealed, sharing his winning recipe for success. “It’s a confidence boost for Nationals and a good feeling for a back-to-back win.”

 

1. Matthew Brooks (18), Halifax, NS | 70, 74 (144)    

2. Ben Nicholson (18), Fredericton, NB |78, 69 (147)

2. Brady Wood (18), Fredericton, NB | 75, 72 (147)

2. Colby Bent (17), Valley, NS | 74, 73 (147)

Eighteen-year-old Matthew Brooks from Halifax, NS, emerged victorious as MJT East Coast Junior Boys Champion in a fiercely contested field where three competitors tied for second place. "My mentality was to stay positive and have a forgetful mindset," Brooks explained, proving that sometimes the best way to stay cool under pressure is to forget there’s any pressure at all. "This tournament is a big confidence boost. I hope to carry this confidence for the rest of my play this year.”

 

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