Jiang Shoots 71, 67 Amid Impressive Scoring In MJT Ford Series Finale
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- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2021-10-06
RICHMOND, British Columbia — Canada’s largest and number one-played Junior Golf Tour witnessed impressive scoring out of a wait-listed field of 80 juniors during its final BC event of the season – the MJT Ford Series at Mayfair Lakes Golf Course in Richmond. Players were competing for titles in six divisions at the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s Ford Series event, which was preceded by a MJT Ford Go Golf Junior Clinic, offering kids in the community a free introduction to golf taught by PGA of BC Professionals.
Hot scores of 71 and 67 (138) were fired by 16-year-old Tina Jiang, of Richmond, BC, winning her the MJT Girls 15-19 Division and low overall Girls title by one shot. Jiang, after winning last year’s 2020 MJT National Championship, used this event to help prepare for the upcoming MJT National Championship taking place later this week at Morgan Creek Golf Club in Surrey, BC. “I had a lot of fun playing in this event and with my playing partners,” commented Jiang. “My plans for the post-season are to continue my practice and improve my game.” Runner-up was Surrey, BC’s Bonnie Zhai, 16, who shot excellent scores of 69 and 70 (139).
The MJT Bantam Boys Division witnessed an amazing comeback from 14-year-old Harvey Liu, of Surrey, BC. The MJT veteran fired scores of 73 and 66 (139) to surge up to the top of the leaderboard and win by three shots. “I played well in the second round, but there are still things I need to work on in my overall game,” commented Liu. “The course was in good shape and it feels good to get the win.” Richmond, BC’s Alex Zhang, 13, fired consistent scores of 71 and 71 (142) to finish in second place.
Caleb Davies, 16, of Langley, BC, earned his fourth MJT title of the season with his stellar performance at Mayfair Lakes. Davies, who is the 2021 MJT Juvenile Boys Order of Merit presented by RBC champion, shot 76 and 67 (143) to win the division by a three-shot margin. “I thought my game was in good shape coming into the tournament,” commented Davies. “I plan to do lots of strength training over the off season to gain some more distance and work on my putting stroke.” Vancouver, BC’s Ryan Liang, 14, (77 and 69 = 146) and Richmond’s Daniel Xu, 16, (76 and 70 = 146) finished tied for second place.
In the MJT Peewee Boys Division, Vancouver, BC, golfers Tiger Zhao (72-72), 10, and Jim Zhu (71-73), 12, finished tied at the top of the leaderboard with total scores of 144. Coming out victorious after the first playoff hole was Zhu, who earned his fifth MJT Junior Tour win in addition to his 2021 MJT Mini Tour National Championship title. Zhu will look to continue his excellent play this coming weekend as he competes in the MJT National Championship presented by TaylorMade and adidas golf at Morgan Creek Golf Course.
The MJT Girls U15 Division winner was 14-year-old Claudia Zhang, of West Vancouver, BC, who fired a pair of 74s (148) to take home the division title by two shots. Zhang, who has seen some impressive improvements since joining the MJT five years ago, earned her first win of the year at the season finale event in BC. “I really enjoyed the tournament and the people in my groups were very kind and fun to play with,” commented Zhang. “I felt slightly nervous going into the event and I know I could have done better, but it feels great to get a win.” Langley, BC’s Rose Chen, 12, finished in second place with scores of 76 and 74 (150).
Picking up his first MJT win of the year in the Junior Boys Division was 17-year-old Ben Black, of Vancouver, BC. Black fired rounds of 75 and 81 (156) to win by three shots. “Getting the win made me feel a lot better about my game,” commented Black. “I’ll be doing a lot more training throughout the winter to try to improve for next year.” Abbotsford, BC’s Hayden Lazeo, 17, recorded scores of 79 and 80 (159) to finish in second place.
The MJT Booster Juice BounceBack Awards for most improved scores in round two over round one went to Anya Cheng, Tina Jiang, Jacky Tang and Caleb Davies. Full results can be viewed here. This tournament marks the end of the 2021 regular MJT season in BC. A 2022 Early Bird Membership Offer will be available this December and 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.