Vernon’s Jaden Steinke pretty much pays rent on golf courses these days.
The Grade 12 VSS student works seven-hour shifts every day after school at the Vernon Golf & Country Club and plays on weekends.
Steinke, who turns 19 on Boxing Day, is second on the Zone 2 Junior Golf Tour Order of Merit just past the midway point.
Steinke carded a scorching 3-under 69 Sunday to win the overall low gross title at the Kamloops Golf & Country Club. He rang up four birdies and earned a $40 pro shop gift card.
“I just had one bogey and everything was rolling,” said the soft-spoken, multi-star athlete. “I made one 25-foot slider for birdie on No. 8.”
Steinke averages 285 yards off the tee and says he struggles with his short game like everybody else. He plans on staying in the game for a long time.
“I’d like to keep working in the pro shop and then try and get a scholarship in the U.S. in a couple of years.”
The lean and strong Steinke, who also excelled in hockey and soccer, is second on the Order of Merit with 176.3 points through eight tournaments.
Matt Hopley of Gallagher’s Canyon Resort in Kelowna leads the pack with 199.5 points. Vernon’s Braeden Cooper is eighth at 123.5 points. He shot 84 at Kamloops but missed the Rivershore tourney.
Steinke shot an 83 in Sunday’s Tour stop at Rivershore in Kamloops. Cooper shot 83 at Kamloops but missed the Rivershore tourney.
Second behind Steinke at Kamloops was Cole Wilson of the Okanagan Club in Kelowna at 71. Jesse Stoesz of Tower Ranch in Kelowna was third at 74.
Cooper Humphreys of the Okanagan Club won the 14 and Under division low gross with 72.
Max Lockwood of Vernon shot 76 for second, while Will Lockwood took low net honours at 66.
Hopley produced a 69 to win the Rivershore tourney by four strokes over Wilson. Will Lockwood was second low gross in his category at 74.
The Tour stops in Vernon Saturday with Steinke in the first grouping at 12:15 p.m. Cooper, who has a scholarship to the Minot State University Beavers for next fall, tees off after Steinke. Dexter Weiten of Vernon goes out at 12:45, while the Lockwood boys tee off at 1:22.
The Tour hits The National Sunday in Salmon Arm. The Tour was originally scheduled for Spallumcheen Golf & CC, but they are having some flooding.