After a year that raised the bar for 12U tournament golf across the country, 109 qualified players brought that talent together at Tsawwassen Springs in Tsawwassen, BC, on August 30–31, for the 2026 MJT Mini Tour Nationals on Canada’s leading Junior Golf Tour.
Representing British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, the invitation-only field arrived following a remarkable year on the non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT), where record participation was accompanied by red-hot scoring, multiple holes-in-one, and an increasingly impressive depth of talent.
Twelve-year-old Jace Fehr of Hague was one of five Saskatchewan athletes competing in the Boys 11-12 division at the event. Fehr tied for 15th spot in the field of 38 golfers, shooting 83 on each of his 18-hole rounds over the two-day event to record an overall score of 166.
Twelve-year-old Caleb O’Brien of Melville, who placed sixth in the event, had the best score of the Saskatchewan golfers in that division, with scores of 78 and 75 for a two-day total of 153.
The winner in the division was 12–year-old Hayden Soohyun Lee of Port Moody, BC, who delivered matching one-under rounds of 69 to win the MJT Boys 11-12 National Champion title with a 138 total. Entering the final round one shot back, Lee knew an early push would be important. “I wanted to make some birdies at the start because I was trailing by one going into the final round,” he said. He did exactly that, pointing to an approach on his second hole that led to a tying birdie, followed by another key second shot into the par-five fifth that helped propel him into the lead. Lee finished the 36-hole championship with seven birdies and two impressively consistent rounds.
Vancouver’s Elizabeth Yang secured the MJT Girls 11-12 National Champion title by two strokes, putting together a strong 152 total with rounds of 73 and 79. The 11-year-old pointed to her ‘putting on the first day’ as the strongest part of her game, helping establish the advantage she would carry through the final round. Among the weekend’s highlights, one shot stood above the rest for Yang: “I chipped in on the 4th hole.”
A brilliant four-under 66 on the final day vaulted Liam Chang to the MJT Boys 9-10 National Champion title, as the 10-year-old from Victoria, BC, turned an opening 73 into a 139 total. Chang poured in nine birdies over 36 holes, with one final birdie providing an emphatic finish. “I just made a lot of good putts and the birdie on the last hole helped,” he said. His verdict on the weekend was even more enthusiastic: “100,000/10, thank you!”
Annabel Zhao added National Champion to an already accomplished 2026 campaign, claiming the MJT Girls 9-10 title by a single stroke with rounds of 75 and an impressive even-par 70 for 145. The 10-year-old from Richmond, BC, who also earned the 2026 MJT BC Girls 9-10 Order of Merit title, carded six birdies over the two days while sticking to a measured strategy: “Don’t play too aggressive, but not too safe.” Zhao identified several long putts for birdie and par among the shots that made the difference in her narrow National victory.
Seven-year-old Mason Hou of Vancouver, BC, captured the MJT Boys 8U National Championship by one stroke with some exceptional scoring, opening with a five-under 65 before closing at even-par 70 for a 135 total. Hou packed nine birdies and an eagle into his two rounds, with the youngster crediting ‘putting’ as the strongest part of his game entering the event. His strategy for navigating the National stage was refreshingly simple: “Listen to [my] coach.”
Eight-year-old Anna Song of Vancouver, BC, battled her way to the MJT Girls 8U National Champion title, posting a steady 160 total with rounds of 78 and 82. The victory capped a terrific year for Song, who also earned the 2026 MJT BC Girls 8U Order of Merit title. She identified her short game as her biggest strength before offering high praise for her Nationals experience: “I would rate this event as a ten out of ten, great sponsors and staff.”