Canada's #1 Junior Golf Tour

 

Under heavy skies in Surrey, BC, the MJT Mini Tour at Guildford Golf Club saw nearly 70 young competitors, aged 12 and under, take to the course on July 22. These young golfers were competing for titles in six divisions on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s 12U circuit and vying for coveted spots in the upcoming MJT Mini Tour National Championship in Tsawwassen, BC, this August. With their game faces on and pint-sized clubs in hand, these future golf stars proved that the only thing mini about this tour was the golfers' ages!

In an exhilarating showdown in the MJT Boys 9-10 Division, eight-year-old George Du from Richmond, BC, and 10-year-old Hayden Soohyun Lee from Port Moody, BC, both finished tied at 77, forcing a playoff. Du secured his first win of the season by sinking a crucial par on the first extra hole. In MJT Boys 8U, another tie for the lead at 73 between Eric Wu, 8, of Richmond, and Edward Yu, 8, of Vancouver, had to be decided in a countback. Other notable performances resulted in division wins by James (Chenrui) Qiu, 11, from Surrey, BC, in MJT Boys 11-12 (71), Velvet Haynes, 12, from Kelowna, BC, in MJT Girls 11-12 (75), Victoria Shen, 10, from Surrey, BC, in MJT Girls 9-10 (74), and Annabel Zhao, 8, from Richmond, BC, in MJT Girls 8U (89).

Top finisher scores along with quotes from each division winner are noted below. Results of the Long Drive and Closest-to-the-Pin contests are posted on the MJT website here.
 

The next MJT Mini Tour event in the province is at Pitt Meadows Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, BC, on August 13. More information on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour can be found online at www.maplejt.com.

 

MJT Girls 8U: Guildford: Par 72, Ydg 3400, Slope/Rating 0/0.0
1. Annabel Zhao (8), Richmond, BC | 89         

2. Norah Bucholtz (7), Langley, BC | 101        

3. Georgia Sharma (8), Vancouver, BC | 106

 

Eight-year-old Annabel Zhao from Richmond, BC, found herself atop the leaderboard yet again, proving she's a force to be reckoned with. When asked about her relentless dedication, Zhao stated, "I practiced four hours every day to win this tournament." Clearly not one to rest on her laurels, she added, "I will practice six hours every day after this tournament." Watch out, world—Annabel is just getting started, and her dedication is as impressive as her swing!

MJT Girls 9-10: Guildford: Par 72, Ydg 4100, Slope/Rating 0/0.0
1. Victoria Shen (10), Surrey, BC | 74

2. Miranda Luo (10), Vancouver, BC | 75       

3. Karyme Zhao (10), Richmond, BC | 77

 

From Surrey, BC, 10-year-old Victoria Shen has clinched her second MJT win of the season. When asked about her rigorous practice routine, Shen jokingly shared, "Lee (MJT Tournament Director) gave me 16 billion range balls. I practiced a lot and focused on my practice." She added, "I have more confidence in myself and I will try harder, lifting my goals up." It looks like Shen's game plan is as ambitious as her swing—16 billion range balls might just be the secret to her success!

 

MJT Girls 11-12: Guildford: Par 72, Ydg 4700, Slope/Rating 0/0.0
1. Velvet Haynes (12), Kelowna, BC | 75        

2. Lucy Li (10), Vancouver, BC | 78     

3. Charlene Nguyen (11), Vancouver, BC | 85

Twelve-year-old Velvet Haynes from Kelowna, BC, is fresh off a win at the MJT’s Junior Tour stop at Okanagan Golf Club in Kelowna last week and riding high on confidence. "Mentally, I make sure I get a good sleep and keep myself calm by relaxing my brain," Haynes shared, explaining her approach to victory. "This win has helped my confidence a lot because I've been putting in so much effort that it's finally nice to see it pay off," she added.
 

1. Eric Wu (8), Richmond, BC | 73 *Countback

2. Edward Yu (8), Vancouver, BC | 73

3. Ethan Jian (8), Vancouver, BC | 75

A countback finish decided the MJT Boys 8U winner after Eric Wu from Richmond, BC, and Edward Yu from Vancouver, BC, tied at 73. When victor Eric Wu was asked about his winning mindset, he cheerfully replied, "Be happy and think about other things." Wu showed that a carefree attitude might be the key to his success. Wrapping up his comments, Wu rated the event, "10/10, very good tournament!" proving that even the smallest competitors appreciate a well-organized event.
 

MJT Boys 9-10: Guildford: Par 72, Ydg 4100, Slope/Rating 0/0.0
1. George Du (8), Richmond, BC | 77  *Won Playoff

2. Hayden Soohyun Lee (10), Port Moody, BC | 77    

3. Felix Qu (10), North Vancouver, BC | 78

 

In a thrilling duel, George Du, an eight-year-old from Richmond, BC, and Hayden Soohyun Lee, a 10-year-old contender from Port Moody, BC, tied at 77 in the MJT Boys 9-10 Division, pushing the competition into an electrifying play-off. Du clinched his first win of the season with a clutch par finish on the first extra hole.

 

1. James (Chenrui) Qiu (11), Surrey, BC | 71  

2. Jack Guo (12), West Vancouver, BC | 72    

3. Stephen Gu (11), Vancouver, BC | 76

James (Chenrui) Qiu, 11, from Surrey, BC, decided to keep the trophy close to home with a stellar one-under par performance. "I didn't even know I was going to win," Qiu admitted. "I'm getting better at my short game."

 

Qualified Players: 
MJT Mini Tour National Championship (highest ranked player not already exempt): Sydney Wang, Velvet Haynes, Robin Lai, George Du, Brendan Arduini

 

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