It was a fantastic finale to the regular season on the non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour, Canada’s number one-played junior tour, in Warman, Saskatchewan, this past weekend, with a record field of almost 160 players combined in a Junior (19U) and Mini Tour (12U) event at The Legends Golf Course. Junior golf is booming in the province with such a high number of players taking part.
Competitors battled it out in six divisions for the final chance to earn valuable MJT Order of Merit (OOM) points towards qualification into the season-ending MJT National Championship presented by TaylorMade and adidas Golf at The Wigwam Golf Resort in Arizona this November.
The MJT Saskatchewan OOM Championship at The Legends saw players eager to card some good rounds in perfect weather on a course in pristine condition. Top finisher scores are posted on the MJT website.
Highlights included scorching scores of 67-66 fired by Zostrianos Giordani-Gross, 17, of Brandon, MB, who finished at 11-under par for the weekend, winning the MJT Junior and Low Overall Boy titles.
Low Overall among the Girls went to seven-time MJT Girls U15 champion, Olivia Johnson, 14, of Calgary, AB. Other notable mentions go to Annelie Rafferty, 18, of Galway, Ireland, who made the trip to the event worth her while with a win in MJT Girls 15-19, joined in the winner’s circle by MJT Peewee Boys champion, Jun Lee, 10, of Regina, SK, MJT Bantam Boys veteran victor, Aricin Franklin, 14, of Saskatoon, SK, and first-time MJT Juvenile Boys winner, Brayden Skene, 16. of Martensville, SK. Every division winner posted low scores to win against deep fields.
The MJT Saskatchewan OOM Championship at The Legends brings to a close another successful season in the province.
TOP FINISHERS
MJT U15 Girls:
1 Olivia Johnson, Calgary, F, 14, 73-78 (151)
2 Tayla Perry, Regina, F, 14, 70-82 (152)
3 Grace Odnokon, Saskatoon,, F, 13, 84-76 (160)
The MJT U15 Girls Division title and Low Overall honours went to Olivia Johnson, 14, of Calgary, AB, who racked up her seventh win of the season. “It feels awesome to win this weekend,” said Johnson. “I just wanted to finish off the summer season strong.”
MJT Girls 15-19:
1Annelie Rafferty, Galway, IR, F, 18, 81-80 (161)
2 Sarah Henderson, Saskatoon, F, 15, 86-81 (167)
3 Niya Friesen, Swift Current, F, 15, 84-89 (173)
Travelling the furthest distance and making it count was Annelie Rafferty, 18, of Galway, Ireland, who edged out victory in the MJT Girls 15-19 Division by one shot. “This feels great, but I left a few out there,” said Rafferty. “I wanted to finish with a birdie to break eighty, but I chunked my shot.”
MJT Peewee Boys:
1 Jun Lee, Regina, M, 10 70-75 (145)
2 Austin Nesbitt, Pilot Butte, M, 12, 74-73 (147)
3 Tylan Wallin, Humboldt, M, 12, 79-77 (156)
J un Lee, 10, of Regina, posted a fine two-under par 70 on day one to lead into day two and managed to hold on to win the MJT Peewee Boys Division for his second title of the season. “It feels good to win because it was my last tournament of the year,” said Lee. “Also, it was my birthday, so it feels good.”
MJT Bantam Boys:
1 Aricin Franklin, Saskatoon, M, 14 , 69-72 (141)
2 Shae Maunula, North Battleford, M, 13 81-67 (148)
3 Jayden Chernoff, Estevan, M, 14 , 78-71 (149)
Continuing his fine play this season with another victory in the MJT Bantam Boys Division was Aricin Franklin, 14, of Saskatoon, SK, who finished the weekend with standout scores of 69-72, three-under par, for his sixth title in 2023. “It feels really good to have played well and win.” Said Franklin. “I was just trying to hit good shots and good putts to finish.”
MJT Juvenile Boys:
1 Brayden Skene, Martensville, M, 16, 70-72 (142)
2 Ryan Mosher, Saskatoon, M, 15, 74-71 (145)
2 Dade Bernatchez, Sucker River, M, 16, 71-74 (145)
2 Ryan Badger, Edmonton, M, 16, 70-75 (145)
Coming through for his first win on the MJT was 16-year-old Brayden Skene of Martensville, who fired 70-72 for a two-under par total score and three-shot victory in the MJT Juvenile Division. “It feels really good because it is my home course,” said Skene. “And to win my first event here makes it much more special.”
MJT Junior Boys:
1 Zostrianos Giordani-Gross, Brandon, M, 17, 67-66 (133)
2 Drayjon Sparvier, Regina Ochapowace First Nation, SK, M, 19, 73-71 (144)
3 Winston Grayson, Kipling, M, 19, 70-78 (148)
A standout performance by Brandon, MB’s Zostrianos Giordani-Gross, 17, saw him blaze his way around the course, carding 13 birdies and finishing 11-under par to triumph in the MJT Junior Division. “This feels incredible!” said Giordani-Gross, who ran away with Low Overall honours. “I have been having trouble with my short game so when the putting and chipping started clicking, it felt great.”
The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour is Canada’s number one-played 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 valued Premier, Tournament and Product Partners. The MJT hosts 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.
Maple Leaf Mini Tour showcases budding golf stars
The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour, Canada’s number one-played junior tour, descended on Legends Golf Club in Warman for the final event on the MJT Mini Tour circuit in the province. Solidifying that junior golf in the province is vibrant, 159 juniors came out to compete in either the two-day Junior Tour (19U) event on August 26 and 27, or the one-day Mini Tour (12U) event on August 26. The Mini Tour stop was the last one before the upcoming MJT Mini Tour National Championship in British COlumbia.
Top finisher scores are posted on the MJT website.
Highlights included a tie for Low Overall in the MJT Boys division between Keaton Kreklewich of Melville, SK, and Dalton Stephens of Craik, SK, who both posted excellent 71’s in the MJT Boys 11-12 Division, while MJT Girls 9-10 winner, Alyxa Melsted of Wynyard, SK, was Low Overall amongst all the Girls with a score of 84.
Other division winners were Mae McTavish of Canora, SK, in MJT Girls 8U, Natalie Maunula of North Battleford in MJT Girls 11-12, Hudson Deibert of Regina in MJT Boys 8U – a clean sweep as he has won all six MJT Mini Tour events this season – and finally, Caleb O’Brien of Melville, SK, in MJT Boys 9-10.
This event brings to a close another tremendously successful season on the MJT Saskatchewan Mini Tour circuit.
TOP FINISHERS
MJT Girls 8U:
1 Mae McTavish, Canora, SK, F, 7, 47-49 (96)
2 Makinlee McCrystal, Regina, F, 8, 56-53 (109)
3 Ayden Bridge, Corman Par, F, 7, 68-65 (133)
Seven-year-old Mae McTavish of Canora, SK, won the MJT Girls 8U Division, her third title of the season, by a commanding margin over her next closest rival. “It feels really good to win,” said McTavish. “Coming down the stretch, I was thinking about getting a Booster Juice.”
MJT Girls 9-10: The Legends GC; Par 72, 3600 Yards
1 Alyxa Melsted, Wynyard,, F, 10, 45-39 (84)
2 Jiayi Tang, Prince Albert, F, 10, 47-46 (93)
3 Clara Zhang, Saskatoon, F, 10, 49-49 (98)
Alyxa Melsted, 10, of Wynyard, SK, pulled away on the back nine to secure a nine-shot victory in the MJT Girls 9-10 Division, her fifth win of the season and great preparation for the MJT Mini Tour National Championship. “It feels amazing to win,” said Melsted. “It was a long day, so it felt good to be done.”
MJT Girls 11-12:
1 Natalie Maunula, North Battleford, F, 11, 50-45 (95)
2 Erika Wurst, Saskatoon, F, 11, 50-59 (109)
Natalie Maunula, 11, of North Battleford, played solid golf to win the MJT Girls 11-12 Division title, her second victory of the season. “It feels really good to win,” said Maunula. “It was a tough challenge. My drives were the key to winning out there this weekend.”
MJT Boys 8U:
1 Hudson Deibert, Regina,, M, 8, 35-40 (75)
2 Sam Danberg, Waskesiu Lake, SK, M, 8, 44-47 (91)
3 Jackson Orr, Corman Park, M, 8, 49-43 (92)
Hudson Deibert, 8, of Regina, completed a clean sweep of the MJT Mini Tour Boys 8U Division in Saskatchewan this season as he won all six events that he played in. “It feels amazing to win my last 8U MJT event,” said Deibert. “I was just trying to make some pars and hitting my driver better.”
MJT Boys 9-10:
1 Caleb O’Brien, Melville,, M, 9, 38-39 (77)
2 Cohen Bridge, Corman Park, M, 9, 40-43 (83)
3 Bennett Bechtold, Moose Jaw, M, 9, 45-42 (87)
3 Declan Kozakavich, Saskatoon, M, 9,45-42 (87)
The MJT Boys 9-10 Division title was won by 9-year-old Caleb O’Brien of Melville, SK, after he posted consistent golf for a six-stroke victory. “This win feels great,” said O’Brien. “It’s great to win the last tourney on the MJT and I wanted to win!”
MJT Boys 11-12:
1 Keaton Kreklewich, Melville, M, 11, 33-38 (71) Tie
1 Dalton Stephens, Craik, M, 11, 34-37 (71) Tie
3 Thomas Pilon, Saskatoon, M, 12, 36-38 (74)
The MJT Boys 11-12 Division ended in a tie after Keaton Kreklewich, 11, of Melville, and Dalton Stephens, 11, of Craik, both finished the day at one under par with no opportunity for a playoff. “The win feels great,” said both Kreklewich and Stephens in joint agreement. “Everything was great this season on the MJT, you guys did a great job.”