Joey and Luke Kremer will play in Nike Golf Junior Championship

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The Kremer brothers both competed at the Nike Golf Junior Championship from Aug. 25 to Aug. 28 at Piper's Heath Golf Club in Milton.

Don Mills residents Joey, 13, placed third at the championship while Luke, 16, injured his back during the tournament and did not finish. 

They both play out of Cedar Brae Golf and Country Club, near Steeles Avenue and Tapscott Road, in Scarborough.

Joey qualified for the championship by placing third in the Junior Club championships held at BraeBen Golf Course in Mississauga in June.

Earlier this month, he won two Canadian Junior Golf Association tournaments. He won the 13 and under division of the Adams Golf Junior Classic at Etobicoke's Royal Woodbine on Aug. 11 and 12 with rounds of 72 and 75. His score for 36 holes was the lowest in the tournament for all divisions.

A week later he won the Canadian Junior Golf Association's (CJGA) Junior Open at Rolling Hills Golf Club in Stouffville with rounds of 80 and 82.

"I love golf," Joey said. "It's fun. I like being in the fresh air and just relaxing."

He added he finds a rhythm and takes a nice, easy swing when he plays. Pressure isn't part of the game.

"I'm never nervous when I play," he said.

He prefers the short game, especially putting.

In fact, his mentor is American golfer Steve Stricker, who uses the same type of putter.

Joey, who will be going into Grade 8 at St. Bonaventure Catholic School, said he'll continue playing the sport as long as he can since he enjoys it.

His father Karl said he's not even thinking about his son getting a golf scholarship at this point.

"He's only 13," he said.

Just seeing his son enjoy the sport and be so relaxed about the game is enough.

He's just a natural," he said, adding both his sons beat him when they hit the greens.

"They both practise a lot," Karl said. "Joey practises his short game especially."

He added that gives him the edge. All the players can hit off the tee, but Joey will finish off the hole with another couple hits instead of three or four, he said.

Karl used to take Joey golfing when he was five, and he'd play a few holes between sitting on the cart playing his Nintendo game . But, it changed when he was six-years-old and was playing in a tournament on a team.

"He beat everyone in the group and they were all older than him," Karl said. "He never played Nintendo (during a golf game) again."

Joey's brother Luke is also a golfer.

The pair are junior members at Cedar Brae Golf Club and take lessons every couple weeks with coach Gordie Burns.

Luke finished third in the 14 to 16 year-old division at the CJGA Junior Open at Rolling Hills Golf Course with two rounds of 79. He also won for closest to the pin.

Luke said he's not nervous going into the Canadian competition either.

"It's just another round of golf," he said.