INNISFAIL — A local youth won the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) stop in Innisfail in the juvenile boys section.
Sean Kelly, 16, shot rounds of 72 and 74 for a total of 146, two strokes better than Matthew Keane, also 16, of Calgary 73, 75 (148).
As a result, Kelly and Keane are short-listed to be on the Canadian team for the Jack Newton International Junior Classic in Australia this October.
More than 100 junior golfers from across the region in several age groups took part in the the MJT Maui Jim Series finale tournament, held July 16-17 at the Innisfail Golf Club.
The club features three nine-hole courses named Aspen, Hazelwood, and Spruce.
The tournament was the last of six events in the MJT Maui Jim Series.
Participants were competing for titles in six divisions.
In addition to the Jack Newton International Junior Classic, golfers were also competing for a chance to be short-listed for the National Team Challenge in Fenwick, Ontario this September.
In a MJT news release, Kelly said he prepared hard and carefully for this tournament.
"I practised all day Monday, made sure I ate really well and got the most amount of sleep that I could," he said.
"Coming in, with all the pressure on me as Innisfail Golf Club being my home course, I made sure I committed to every swing and kept a good head on my shoulders.”
Kelly’s win was just one highlight.
Another was an ace (hole-in-one) on the par-three fifth hole of the Aspen course by 15-year-old Jacob Lin of Calgary, using a five iron.
There were also nail-biting biting playoffs in a couple of divisions.
