MacArthur battles through the storm to post a 69 at GreyHawk Golf Club to lead the Ottawa PGA Junior Open June 9th, 2005 DELTA, B.C.- Muggy heat countered by an extreme thunderstorm waited for juniors at the Greyhawk Golf Club for the CJGA Ottawa PGA Junior Open. The event also serves as a qualifier for Lipton Brisk Canada Cup Team East. Juniors were evacuated from the golf course halfway into the day for a one hour period as the storm passed through. Despite the wide range of conditions, some great numbers were posted by the end of the day. Nineteen year-old Tarn MacArthur of Montreal fired a 69 even though he finished on the brink of darkness. Thirteen year-old Jean Sebastian-Viau of Rosemere also battled through the uncertain weather to shoot 74. Sebastian-Viau began the day playing well prior to the delay, but as he explained "I played a lot better once I got back out there." He continued by saying "The course was in good shape and it suited how well I hit my drives and long irons." Following Sebastian-Viau in second place after today was Julien Goulet of St.Roch de L'Achigan with a strong 75. Third place in the 13 & Under Division was Taylor Evans of Manotick with a 76. In the 14-16 Division ties were the story at the top of the leaderboard. Yanis Laforest of Laval, and Christopher Collins of Ottawa were the two in that position after coming into the clubhouse with even par 72's. Laforest said "I felt good, I knew I would play well." Collins gave credit to his "concentration in the humid weather." A tie for third was held by Vincent Adams of Boisbriand and Steven Knapp of Gloucester with both players posting 73's. The big story of the day was the 17-19 Division with two rounds under par. Tarn MacArthur went three under par for an impressive 69. "I didn't put myself in any trouble at all today" he mentioned while signing his birdie filled scorecard. Wendell Touhey of Ottawa is still in the hunt after he kept it under par into the clubhouse with a 71. Sitting in third place after the first day of the qualifier is Adam Glofcheskie of Arnprior with a one over par 73. All three were forced to deal with the pressure of a late tee time and a one hour delay that put the round in danger due to darkness. In the Girls Division Kate Burnett of Ottawa leads the way after signing off on a first round 80. "I was very pleased with my ball striking on the back nine" Burnett explained. Second place after round one is Brooke Mallory of Brockville with a round of 81 today. Emily Milito of Ottawa sits in third after firing an 83 in the sweltering heat. About the Ottawa PGA: The Ottawa PGA's philosophy is to provide Canadian golfers with the highest quality professional administrators, teachers, players and promoters of the game through superior training, education and member development. The Ontario PGA is the largest zone of the CPGA and represents approximately 1,100 of the 3,300 men and women who make up the Canadian PGA. About the CJGA/CPGA Zone Championships: The CJGA and several CPGA zones have developed the CPGA Fund for deserving junior golfers looking to make the transition to a career in the Canadian golf industry through the CPGA. One boy and one girl in each CPGA zone will be awarded their first year CPGA enrollment fees based on athletic, academic, and community achievements. The CJGA conducts six CPGA Zone tournaments a year. About the Lipton Brisk Canada Cup: The third annual Lipton Brisk Canada Cup is the only national Ryder Cup style event in Canada. The West vs. East Ryder Cup matches were designed to help elite Canadian junior golfers develop the necessary skills to handle intense mental preparation and prepare for match play events on the international scene. The series is tied at 1 with Team East dominating the 2003 event, while 2004 saw Team West capture the trophy. This year's event will take place August 27 - 29 at St. Georges Golf and Country Club, always one of the top ranked golf courses in Canada, in Etobicoke, Ont. The participating juniors will have made it through a tough selection process, which includes qualifying tournaments in all the provinces the CJGA holds events. Team East and Team West will each have eight members, two from each category - Boys 13 and Under, Boys 14-16, Boys 17-19 and Girls. About the CJGA As the official junior golf association in Canada, the Canadian Junior Golf Association (CJGA) is dedicated to providing Canada's junior golfers with the necessary skills and knowledge required to lay a foundation for a future in the game. Through its six stage competitive development program, the CJGA introduces the game to juniors as young as five and offers competitive multi-day events for the more advanced golfer. In 2005, the CJGA will conduct over 90 tournaments across Canada. Included in the tournament schedule is a number of qualifying events for international tournaments initiated to give juniors the chance to represent their country, to test their skills against the rest of the world and to give them the opportunity to gain exposure to college coaches. The CJGA is a not-for-profit Canadian Registered Athletic Association with Revenue Canada. For Additional information: Rick Betts CJGA Director of Media Relations and Communications 1-877-508-1069 Ext. 233 rick.betts@cjga.com www.cjga.com