Warman’s Dane Giesbrecht was successful at the Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) Re/Max Blue Chip Realty Classic by winning the U15 division.
After tying at 156, the 13-year-old needed a four-hole playoff to edge Elias Haukeness of Buena Vista at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club in Estevan on July 2 and 3. Giesbrecht had rounds of 82 and 74, while Haukeness shot two rounds of 78, before they had to compete in a playoff.
“I stayed calm during the playoff,” commented Giesbrecht. “I played strategically and kept the ball low in the wind.”
Giesbrecht also finished in third place at the first MJT Saskatchewan event of the season at Swift Current’s Elmwood Golf Club during the last weekend of June.
During the MJT event in Estevan, players had to handle windy conditions on the first day and extreme heat on day two, while vying for titles in six divisions along with valuable points on the MJT Order of Merit presented by RBC.
Jayden Chernoff, 12, of Estevan, shot 86 and 74 (160) to win the MJT U12 boys division. Saskatoon’s Lucas Sturgeon, 11, finished in second place with scores of 84 and 79 (160).
Jackson Giesbrecht of Warman, placed sixth in the U12 boys division with a two-round total of 175 (94, 81).
The MJT 15-16 boys division saw Saskatoon’s Max Regier, 15, card 77 and 69 (146), to win the title. Regier, who finished second at the MJT’s Elmwood event, quickly worked his way to the top of the podium at Estevan. Thomas Danielson, 16, of Saskatoon, recorded scores of 80 and 71 (151) to finish in second place. Corman Park’s Brett Leonard finished in sixth place of with a two-day total of 167 (84, 83).
The lowest overall shooter of the event was Theron West of Wawota, in the U19 boys division. West, 18, posted scores of 74 and 71 for a 145, which good enough to hold off Saskatoon’s Jackson Wingert (77, 69) by a shot, to win the division.
Duck Lake’s Marcus Cameron finished tied for 12th in the U19 boys division, with a two-day total of 163 (84, 79).
Yorkton’s Ella Kozak won her second consecutive MJT title in the girls 15-19 division after defeating Autumn Neiszner, 17, of Regina in a playoff.
Kozak, 15, recorded scores of 79 and 75 (154) in the first two rounds, while Neiszner shot 81 and 73 (154), to come from behind and force the playoff.
The MJT girls U15 division saw 13-year-old Chloe Wills of Kyle, record scores of 97 and 88 (185) to win another MJT title in 2021. Wills’ transition on to the junior tour from the mini tour has been successful so far, winning her first two starts.
The MJT Saskatchewan tour next heads to Saskatoon for the MJT-Golf Saskatchewan Order of Merit Series at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club on July 26 and 27.