MJT National Championship wraps up in Florida; 13 Saskatchewan juniors in field

Photo courtesy Jeff Chambers.

Over the Remembrance Day weekend a bakers dozen of Saskatchewan juniors travelled to Kissimmee, Flo. for the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) National Championship.

Over 110 players from across Canada converged on the Orange Lake Golf Resort for the 54-hole event that started with the practice round on Thursday.

A trio of Saskatchewan women were competing in the 15 to 19 age group, Chloe Wills of Kyle led the locals with a three round score of 247 (84,82,81), the Saskatchewan Landing Golf Resort junior was fifth.

Tayla Perry of Regina and Niya Friesen of Swift Current tied for eighth, each shot 253.

In the men’s event, Kellen Hunter from Casa Rio was the lone Saskatchewan player in the peewee age group, he shot 92, 89, and 90 for a ninth place finish.

The bantam division contained two Saskatchewan players, Austin Nesbitt from Pilot Butte and Swift Current’s Matty Schmiess. Nesbitt, who plays at Wascana Country Club was 19th at 237 (76,82,79). Schmiess was 23rd at 247 after back-to-back rounds of 84 and a solid 79 in round three.

The largest field was the juvenile men’s group with 34 golfers including five locals.

Brady Guenther of Saskatoon led the way tying for ninth place. The Saskatoon Golf and Country Club player shot 77, 75, and 77 for a 54-hole total of 229. Ethan Hunter also claimed a top 10 finish at 232 (79,73,80).

Griffin Blanch (Saskatoon) was 23rd at 245 (79,86,80), Duck Lake golfer Dante Gamble finished tied for 29th (252), and Ayden Ross of Swift Current carded a 254, he tied for 31st.

Two Saskatchewan players were in the junior category, Saskatoon duo Brody Sawchyn and Ben Staines were 17th and 18th respectively. Sawchyn shot three rounds of 82, Staines carded an 82, 83, and 86.

The complete results can be found here.