Saylar May’s Seven Birdies, Great Field Highlight MJT Mini Tour At Olds
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2021-07-06
OLDS, Alberta — The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s Mini Tour season in Alberta officially started after a COVID-restricted delay with the MJT Mini Tour Ford Series at Olds Central Highlands in Olds, AB, June 27. The event featured 18 holes of tournament golf for aspiring young golfers aged six to 12 and was preceded by a MJT Cam Clark Ford Olds Junior Clinic which offered a free introduction to golf to other kids in the community.
A highlight for the event was the low score posted by 12-year-old Saylar May of Rocky Mountain House, AB, in the Girls 11-12 Division. May, who has become a veteran on the MJT Mini Tour in Alberta, fired a 69 on a 3600 yard layout. “I made a lot of clutch putts,” commented May who jumped on the birdie train at Olds Golf Club with seven in total. “It’s awesome to win the first event of the season.” Olivia Johnson, 12, of Calgary, AB, carded 72 to take home second place.
The MJT Boys 11-12 Division saw another solid performance by 10-year-old Jayden Arnold. The Calgary-native came off a win last week on the MJT Junior Tour at Carstairs Golf Club and continued his dominance, winning on the Mini Tour at Olds Central Highlands with a score of 73. “I think the key to me winning was staying calm and bouncing back with birdies after I made bogeys,” said Arnold, who carded a nice birdie on 18 after a bogey on 17. “I feel really proud because I started my Mini Tour season off with a win.” 11-year-old Solomon Tong, of Heritage Pointe, AB, recorded a score of 77 to finish in second place.
The MJT Boys 9-10 Division saw a tie at the top of the leaderboard between 10-year-old players Jake Fairey, of Edmonton, AB, and Jacob Natomagan, of Sylvan Lake, AB. With both players firing great scores of 74, the win was awarded based on count back, handing the title to Natomagan. Natomagan recorded a three-under par back nine which included four birdies in seven holes. “It’s awesome to see my practice and hard work pay off,” he commented. “The key for me was hitting a good shot after a bad one and staying positive.”
Calgary-native Clara Ding, 10, took home the title in the MJT Girls 9-10 Division with a score of 78. Ding, who was playing in her first ever MJT Mini Tour event, made a name for herself right away picking up her first win. “I made all the long putts,” she commented. “I feel so proud of myself for winning my first MJT tournament.”
The MJT Boys 8U Division witnessed a tight race to the finish between six-year-old Shane Sky, of Foothills, AB, and eight-year-old Ari Prefontaine, of Calgary, AB. With a par on the 18th hole of the tournament, Sky took home the division title with a score of 85. “I love to play golf,” commented Sky. “It makes me feel very good to win my division.” Prefontaine finished in second place one stroke back.
Eight-year-old Sedona Weitz, of Calgary, AB, recorded a score of 90 to win the MJT Girls 8U Division, successfully defending her title at the same event last year.
Full results from the event can be viewed here. The MJT Alberta 12U schedule rolls into Calgary, AB, on July 11, for the MJT Mini Tour at Blue Devil Golf Club. More information can be found on the website at www.maplejt.com.
About Ford
Ford of Canada employs over 23,000 talented individuals in the fields of finance, sales and marketing, information technology, manufacturing and engineering, and human resources. This diverse workforce is responsible for the manufacturing and assembly operations that bring 320,000 vehicles and 425,000 engines to market. At Ford we are proud to be Canada’s longest-established automaker and remain committed to building a strong future in Canada. www.ford.ca.
About the MJT
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 close to 90 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.