Following her impressive third place finish at the renowned Drive Chip and Putt competition in Augusta, Anna Huang continued her impressive play on Easter Sunday at Tsawwassen Springs.
The 10-year-old captured her age group in the debut event of the MJT Mini Tour. Huang cruised to victory in the Girls 9-10 Division. Two weekends earlier she was at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia where she reached the podium for her age group in the prestigious junior skills event that took place prior to The Masters and was televised on the Golf Channel.
“I was really happy with my performance. It’s the best I’ve played at Tsawwassen Springs and the first time this year I shot in the 70s,” said Huang who was 13 shots better than runner-up Tierra Elchuk from Kelowna.
The Maple Leaf Tour sanctioned event served as qualifiers for the IMG Academy Junior Worlds and FCG Callaway World Junior Championships — attracting a deep field of 65 young golfers.
The MJT Boys 9-10 division included an intense two-man playoff to decide the winner after 10-year-old Alex Zhang of Richmond and 9-year-old Ethan Zeng of Vancouver matched birdies on the 18thhole to tie at 72 from the white tees
Zhang then birdied the first playoff hole to win his first MJT title.
“This win feels even better because I was under lots of pressure and I still made birdie to win,” he stated.
Vancouver’s Michael Li prevailed in the MJT Boys 11-12 division with a strong round of 73 from the blue tees.
With a three-shot lead after nine holes, Li cruised to a one-over-par 36 on the back nine, including a birdie on the 18thhole.
Elaine Liu, 11, of Vancouver, came out on top in the MJT Girls 11-12 division with a five-shot victory over South Surrey’s Kaitlyn Anderson
Liu attributed the win to her strong start.
“My best hole in the round was the first hole. I made birdie sinking a four-foot putt.” She never let up and cruised to a round of 77 to claim her MJT title.
The MJT Boys U8 division trophy was claimed convincingly by Burnaby’s Matthew Cui.
Playing from a modified yardage of approximately 3050 yards, the eight-year-old produced six birdies on his round, four of which came on the back nine. A clutch eagle on the 16thhole sealed the win.
Surrey’s Kathleen Dunn rounded out the the winners by capturing the Girls U8 title thanks to a clutch birdie on 18 that included her approach shot over water.
The MJT Mini Tour returns to Tsawwassen Springs May 12 and will be a double-qualifier for US Kids Golf World Championship and the Future Champions Golf Callaway World Championship.
