Canadian trio set for Drive, Chip & Putt Championship
A trio of Canadian girls are set to head south for the 2016 Drive, Chip & Putt Championship at Augusta National on April 3—the Sunday prior to the Masters tournament week.
Canadians Vanessa Borovilos, Jayla Kucy and Elaine Giantsopolous will be among the 80 qualifiers (40 male, 40 female) vying to be crowned champions of their respective age divisions at the third annual national championship.
Toronto’s Borovilos will compete in the 7–9 age group for a second consecutive year—she finished fourth in 2015, just four points off the lead. The aspiring LPGA golfer and Trafalgar Golf & Country Club member punched her ticket to Augusta by winning the regional qualifier held at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa.
Camrose, Alta., native Jayla Kucy will also make her return to Augusta National in the 2016 event. The year prior, Kucy (9-years-old at the time) posted a final score of 13 to finish T8 in the 7–9 group. With another year of experience under her belt, Jayla will take the all-expenses-paid trip once more to golf’s hallowed ground. Kucy and Borovilos are among four competitors set to return for a second straight year. (Click to see the 5 minute video of Jayla’s journey to Augusta for the 2nd time)
Competing in the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship for the first time is Elaine Giantsopolous of Richmond Hill, Ont. Giantsopolous earned her spot in the final with a one-point victory at her regional qualifier—also held at Oakmont. Playing out of York Downs Golf & Country Club, Giantsopolous will compete in the 12–13 division.
The journey to the final event is no easy task. Amongst tens of thousands of entrants in 250 qualifying events, all three girls secured top-three spots at their local qualifiers, top-two finishes at their sub-regionals, followed by wins at their regional events. Results of all qualifying events can be found here.
A joint initiative by the United States Golf Association (USGA), the Masters and the PGA of America, the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship is a free nationwide youth golf development program open to girls and boys aged 7-15 – competing in separate divisions in four age categories – focusing on the three fundamental skills employed in golf and tapping the creativity and enthusiasm of young golfers.
Coverage of the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship will be broadcast live on the Golf Channel on April 3.
The Canadian equivalent, the CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event, will be contested on July 16 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., the Sunday prior to the 2016 RBC Canadian Open.
Brendan MacDougall Wins MJT Srixon Series Season Opener
March 12-14, 2016
Coquitlam, BC
Ironman Conditions for MJT Srixon Series Season Opener
Vancouver, B.C. (March 14, 2016) – A wait-listed field of junior golfers from four different provinces as well as the USA played through three tough days of competition and difficult weather during the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s (MJT) Srixon Series Season Opener in the lower mainland of British Columbia which ran on March 12th through 14th. Rounds one and two played out at University Golf Club and the final round on The Vancouver Golf Club (VGC), with players competing for titles in six age divisions on the Boston Pizza-presented program. Gusting winds and freezing rain shortened the junior and juvenile boy’s divisions to nine holes on day two.
“Toughest conditions that any junior will play in, in my opinion, with extreme wind and rain – the scores shot were outstanding when it was a feat just to finish,” said Neil Bidewell, MJT Tournament Director. “The greens at University Golf Club were fantastic, which helped. And a huge thank you to Vancouver Golf Club Superintendent Dave Kennedy and Assistant Pete Rodriguez who did an incredible job of clearing debris off fairways from the storm and prepping the course which was almost closed due to rain saturation.”
Susan Xiao, 14, of Surrey, BC, shot 68 at VGC (Par 73) to lap the field and claim Low Overall for the Girls Division along with her MJT Girls 14 and under title with an impressive five-under-par total score of 73-71-68=212. “I had four birdies in a row on Vancouver Club!” she said afterwards. “I feel happy, proud, excited – my goal is to win more tournaments and shoot under 65.” Second in the division was Jennifer Gu, 13, of West Vancouver, BC, (83-86-80=249) followed by Tillie Claggett, 12, of Calgary, AB (91-84-84=259).
The MJT Girls 15-19 trophy was won by 2015 MJT National Girls Champion Mary Parsons, 16, of Delta, BC, who fired solid rounds of 76, 73, 70 (219) to beat Team Canada’s Alisha Lau, 16, of Richmond, BC (79, 72, 70=221), by two strokes. “I feel great about winning my title especially with it being my first tournament of the year and considering the weather. Everyone contributed to make the tournament run smoothly,” said Parsons, whose goal is to make the Canadian Development Team. There was a tie for third at 22 total score between Esther Subin Lee, 16, of Maple Ridge, BC (77, 72, 73) and Sharon Park, 17, of Surrey, BC, (74, 74, 74).
Team Alberta’s Brendan MacDougall, 18, of Calgary, played phenomenal golf, shooting solid scores of 69-37-73 (179) to claim Overall Low Honours and the MJT Junior Boys title. “The win feels fantastic! The highlight for me was shooting 69 on day one in tough conditions,” said MacDougall, who was an alternate to get into the event. “My biggest goal this season is to play well and prepare for University in the fall.” Matthew Kettleson, 18, of Vancouver, BC, shot a stunning 69 from the tips at VGC on day three (78-39-69=186) to gain massive ground on the field but couldn’t beat the consistent play of MacDougall, Rounding out the top three was Christian Zalli, 17, of Vancouver, (75-40-73=188).
Samuel Su, 16, of Surrey, BC, (72-36-72=180) won the MJT Juvenile Boys trophy after edging out defending champion Khan Lee, 16, of Surrey, BC, (72-41-69=182) in a tough match where Su showed supreme sportsmanship in his speech, acknowledging Lee’s brilliant 69 on the final day in difficult conditions and that the rain-shortened second round was the difference in his win. Third place went to Perry Xin, 16, of Vancouver, BC, who shot 73-37-78=188.
Ilirian Zalli, 13, of Vancouver, BC, cited his tournament highlight as shooting 33 on the back nine at VGC – “putting the cherry on top of this great event” – and shot 77-75-72 (224) to win the MJT Bantam Boys 13-14 title by six shots ahead of his closest rivals who finished in a three-way tie for second place. William Tindle, of Coquitlam, BC, (81-80-69=230), Michael Crisologo, 14, of Richmond, (72-84-74), and 13-year old Josef Koznek of Marysville, WA, (76-79-75=230) all finished deadlocked at 230.
A close race in the MJT Peewee Boys 12 and under division saw Bailey Bjornson, 12, of Surrey, BC, (84-68-70=222) shoot a brilliant final round of 70 to edge out MJT National Peewee Champion Brycen Ko, 12, of Richmond, (75-78-71=224) by two strokes. “My eagle putt on 13 on VGC was key to my victory,” said Bjornson, “and chipping in for birdie at University Golf Club was a highlight. I feel very satisfied to have won and played well.” Finishing in third place was 9-year old Ryan Vest of Vernon, BC, (87-79-81=247).
For full tournament details including the list of 18 Long Drive, Closest-to-the-Pin and Comeback Award winners, please visit the MJT website.
The next Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour stop in British Columbia is the MJT Prodigy Series at Morgan Creek Golf Club in Surrey on April 9th and 10th. For more information or to register, please visit www.maplejt.com or call 1-877-859-4653.
About the MJT:
The non-profit Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour presented by Boston Pizza is Canada¹s 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 generously supported by Boston Pizza and Premier Partners Ford of Canada, Cleveland Golf, Srixon, Aquafina and TuGo, in addition to valued Tournament and Product Partners. The MJT hosts more than 60 events across Canada, including free Ford Go Golf Junior Clinics, the MJT Mini Tour for 7-12 year olds, and multi-day events for competitive players which also qualify juniors for international competitions. The program offers annual awards, scholarships, and frequent player incentives to help reward player’s 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 provincial, national, university and professional level. For more information, please visit www.maplejt.com.
ABOUT Cleveland® Golf, Srixon® and XXIO®:Canada
Cleveland® Golf, Srixon®, and XXIO® are all part of the DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD family and each brand enjoys a strong presence on competitive tours worldwide. Their professional staffs include players such as Graeme McDowell, Keegan Bradley, Hideki Matsuyama, Inbee Park, as well as many others. Cleveland® Golf, founded in 1979, is a leading equipment manufacturer specializing in short game technologies and solutions that benefit all golfers. Srixon®, with more than 80 years of golf ball manufacturing experience, is committed to producing the highest quality, technically innovative golf balls which offer maximum performance to golfers of all levels of ability. XXIO®, with their long standing tradition of premium golf clubs in Japan, brings the #1 golf brand in Japan to America. Cleveland® Golf, Srixon®, and XXIO® remain steadfastly committed to providing “Tour proven, premium golf equipment to passionate golfers seeking to improve their performance while enhancing their experience playing the game of golf.” Visit them online at www.clevelandgolf.com, www.srixon.com, and www.xxiousa.com.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour: Elaine Denton, Director of Marketing and Administration
edenton@maplejt.com 1-877-859-GOLF
2016 Team Alberta Announced
CALGARY – Team Alberta 2016 has been announced for the upcoming season. Overall, the team is comprised of nine male players, eight female players and nine boys on the development team. The 26 players will represent the province of Alberta over the course of the 2016 season and will participate in a variety of provincial, national, and international events.
Returning to Team Alberta is Brendan McDougall, one of three players from last year’s team with a runner-up finish at the 2015 CNFL Western Championship. Landon Stellingwerff makes his return to Team Alberta after a T25 finish at the Glencoe Invitational in 2015. Logan Carver who finished T7 at the PGA Junior Masters in 2015, also makes his return to the team.
Several players from the 2015 Boy’s Development Team made the jump to Team Alberta in 2016. Those players include Max Sekulic, winner of the 2015 Nike Golf Junior Championship, Ethan Choi, 2015 Alberta Bantam Champion, and Michael Lavorato, who finished T7 at the PGA Junior Masters last year.
New to Alberta Golf’s High Performance Program is Chandler McDowell who represented Alberta at the Western Canada Summer Games in Wood Buffalo in 2015 where he placed third, earning a bronze medal in the individual competition. Chris Horton is another new player in the program, as well as Max Murchison whose highlights include a T7 at the Alberta Junior Boys Championship and 23rd at the CNFL Western Championship.
Returning to Team Alberta on the girl’s side is Sharmaine Rapisura, who boasts a win at the 2015 McLennan Ross Tour Championship most recently. Several girls from the 2015 Development Team have been promoted to Team Alberta in 2016 to join Rapisura. Kehler Koss, who finished runner up at the 2015 CNFL Western Championship, will be playing on the girl’s team. Annabelle Ackroyd and Jaden Baustad also join the team, with season highlights that include placing top ten in the 2015 Alberta Junior Girls Championship.
New junior girls to Alberta Golf’s high performance programs include Claire Emery, who finished 7th at the 2015 Alberta Junior Girls Championship, Lauren Koenig, who represented Alberta at the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games, Cassidy Laidlaw, who finished 15th at the 2015 Alberta Junior Girls Championship and Sydney Weber, who had a 15th place finish at the 2015 CNFL Western Championship.
For more information on the players, visit https://albertagolf.org/youth-development/teamalberta/.
Alberta Golf’s three provincial coaches will continue to lead the way in helping players reach their goals over the course of 2016 and beyond. Each player has the opportunity to spend time with their respective coach planning and working on goals for the upcoming season, as well as the post-secondary transition. Randy Robb will provide guidance and experience to the Team Alberta Boys Team, Luke Workman will coach the Team Alberta Girls Team and John Deneer will coach the Boys Development Team.
“As we prepare for the first competitive events of the 2016 golf season, members of Team Alberta are working hard to improve their fitness levels and strengthen their fundamentals to help get off to a good start,” Randy Robb says. “I’m excited to help these young athletes reach their goals and prepare for college golf”.
“I am fortunate to be working with a group talented and hardworking young women on the Team Alberta Girls program. The players on the team all had a successful 2015 season, and they have been training hard over the winter months to surpass these results in 2016. With many new players joining Team Alberta for the 2016 season, the enthusiasm at our camps thus far has been outstanding.” Luke Workman explains. “I am looking forward to spring – and green grass – to see these players represent Alberta over the course of the summer”.
For more information on our provincial coaches, visit https://albertagolf.org/meet-the-coaches/
About the program
The Team Alberta Training Program is focused on further developing the best golfers in the province to be competitive on a national stage. Selection for Team Alberta takes place in November of each year and is based on objective performance results (Order of Merit, Golf Canada and Alberta Golf), behavior and etiquette, which are further reviewed by the Alberta Golf Player Development Selection Committee. The teams are comprised of players who are not yet attending a post-secondary institution with a recognized golf program. At the end of 2015, one former Team Alberta player made the Team Canada Development Squad and one made the Golf Canada National Team.
About Team Alberta
The Team Alberta high performance program is focused at further developing the best golfers in the province to be competitive on the national stage. Program highlights include coaching by PGA of Canada certified golf coaches, training camps, monthly competitive matches, fitness testing, mental skills coaching and monitoring, access to shot by shot game analysis and much more. The goal of the Team Alberta program is to enhance and support the top players in the province. For more information on Team Alberta, visit https://albertagolf.org/youth-development/teamalberta/
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She Swings She Scores Program Launch
Alberta Golf (Calgary) – Alberta Golf is excited to announce the launch of She Swings She Scores, a program designed to introduce girls aged 6-12 to the sport of golf. She Swings She Scores focuses on girls currently participating in hockey by encouraging them to switch their hockey sticks for golf clubs at local hockey tournaments and community events. The goal of the program is to bring golf directly to girls and provide opportunities for players and teammates to learn the sport together in a fun, safe and developmental environment.
“Our goal over the next four years is to spark an interest in girls to try golf, bringing more of this key demographic into a game for life,” explains Matt Rollins, Executive Director/CEO at Alberta Golf.
Alberta Golf will set up an onsite hitting station and kiosk at hockey tournaments, where girls can try using golf clubs, enter in contests and get free swag. In addition to introducing the girls to golf, the program will educate parents and coaches about the Learn to Golf Field Trip Program.
“This initiative is a model for collaboration and partnership across provincial sport organizations in support of underrepresented and marginalized group’s participation in sport opportunities,” says Aaron Lavorato, Sport Consultant at Alberta Sport Connection. Support for the sport program is provided by Sport Canada and Alberta Sport Connection.
The first She Swings She Scores event will take place at The Olds Sport Complex in Olds on January 15th, 2016. For more information, visit our website or contact angela@albertagolf.org
Seen above is the inflatable hitting room that will travel to girls hockey tournaments across Alberta.
Learn to Golf Field Trip Program
The Learn to Golf Field Trip Program will be hosted at various Alberta Golf member golf courses, featuring four instructional sessions (equipment provided) with a PGA of Alberta Professional. Each session will involve an hour of introductory basics to golf, as well as lunch, snacks, golf swag and transportation to and from the golf course. The purpose of the field trips is to instill a positive golf experience for girls and a greater awareness of the next steps to become involved in the sport of golf.
The PGA of Canada will also be introducing a Community Golf Coach training workshop that is designed for individuals who work with children and youth to introduce the basic skills of golf. The training workshop will help prepare individuals to run the She Swings She Score and Learn to Golf Field Trips.