Davies Drives Off With MJT Ford Series Title At Chilliwack; Park Wins Junior Girls Division Playoff
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2021-07-23
CHILLIWACK, British Columbia — The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s BC schedule began its busy month of July in Chilliwack, hosting the first of five Junior Tour events in five weeks in BC. An elite field of junior golfers from across the province competed for titles in six divisions in the MJT Ford Series at Chilliwack Golf and Country Club, counting down the opportunities to gain valuable points on the MJT Order of Merit presented by RBC. The MJT Ford Series event featured a hole-in-one contest for the tournament players along with a MJT Chilliwack Ford Go Golf Junior Clinic, which offered a free introduction to the game to young kids in the community.
After eight seasons on the MJT developing his game, Caleb Davies, 16, of Langley, BC, fired excellent rounds of 70 and 69 (139) for not only his first MJT title but also Low Overall Score of the tournament. Davies made his first trip to the top of the podium as MJT Juvenile Boys champion after making nine birdies through 36 holes of golf. “The key to my victory was my mental game,” commented Davies, who stayed calm and steady throughout the tournament. “I feel great about winning this event and that I was able to keep myself in position to win all the time.” Joshua Ince, 15, of Surrey, BC, finished the division in second place with scores of 72 and 75 (147).
Emerging victorious as MJT Girls 15-19 champion after the fourth playoff hole in a three-way playoff was 17-year-old Sueah Park (72-74 = 146). The Langley, BC, golfer made a brilliant up-and-down, picking up back-to-back MJT titles since the BC season re-opened. “I’m so happy to win back-to-back,” commented Park, who won herself a new pair of golf shoes from adidas Golf. “My short game really helped me and I was able to stay calm throughout the playoff.” Park had tied for the lead with 2020 MJT National Champion Tina Jiang (75-71 = 146), 16, of Richmond, BC, who finished in second place in the playoff, and 16-year-old Anaya Bhandal (73-73 = 146) of Surrey, who rounded out the podium in third place.
2020 MJT BC Order of Merit winner and National Champion, Danny Im, picked up the title in the MJT Junior Boys Division after shooting 69 and 72 (141). Im recorded eight birdies through 36 holes including playing his final five holes at two-under par. “I tried to wait for the right opportunity,” commented Im, after his round. “The course was playing in great shape and I tried my best to work on the things my coach and I have been working on.” Russell Howlett, 19, of Delta, BC, finished second in the division after leading on day one with a great opening round of 68 (68-72=141).
Returning to her winning ways on the MJT was 13-year-old Ha Young Chang in the U15 Girls Division. The Surrey resident fired 69 and 76 (145) to win her division title by three shots. “I never gave up,” commented Chang, who showed her perseverance on the second day. “I kept my focus on every single shot and it feels amazing to get the win.” Ling Yu (Katherine) Hao, 13, of Burnaby, BC, finished second with a pair of 74s (148) while YanLing (Elaine) Liu, 13, of Vancouver, BC, came third (73 and 75=148).
The MJT Bantam Boys Division witnessed a great comeback from 2020 MJT Player of the Year, Alex Zhang. The 12-year-old from Richmond, BC, fired scores of 75 and 71 (146) to win the division by two shots. Zhang made an eight on the fifth hole of his second round but responded by making three birdies in his next four holes. “I feel good about winning this MJT tournament,” commented Zhang. “I stayed calm and patient and continued to play my game.” Eric Joo, 14, of Coquitlam, BC, shot 77 and 71 (148) to finish in second place.
After starting the season with two top-three finishes on the MJT BC Junior Tour, 12-year-old Jaden August, of Pitt Meadows, BC, returned to the top of the podium in the MJT Peewee Boys Division, picking up his first MJT win of the season. August recorded a pair of 72s (144), showing his consistency at Chilliwack Golf Club and winning the division in convincing fashion. “It’s extremely exciting to win my division,” commented August. “I was playing my own game, staying in my own bubble, and staying patient.”
The MJT Booster Juice BounceBack award winners for the most improved score from round one to round two were: Dara Wang, Chloe Tran, Jerry Li, Owen Crockett, and Bailey Bjornson. Full results can be viewed here. The Junior Tour in BC is back in action on July 12 and 13 at Ledgeview Golf and Country Club in Abbotsford. More details can be found online 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.