SLIPPERYROCK — Jenna and Brett Rinker are like most siblings.

They bicker. They pick on one another. They generally annoy each other with great regularity.

But they also share a bond, one forged on the golf course.

Jenna, 14, and Brett, 11, can be found most days at Oakview Country Club, sending golf balls screaming toward the fairway and sending putts rolling over the gentle hills of the green and into the cup.

"He usually beats me," Jenna said. "But we have a lot of fun."

The fun times for the SlipperyRock siblings have extended to the North East Junior Golf Tour.

Both are competing on the tour, which has 15 stops at courses around West Pennsylvania, culminating with a two-day tour championship event Aug. 8 and 9 at Sinking Valley Country Club in Tyrone.

Brett has won both of the tour events he has played in, the most recent coming Wednesday at Glengarry Links in Latrobe.

He shot a 77 to win that event.

Jenna has placed second at her two tour stops, carding an 87 at Glengarry Wednesday.

As a freshman last fall atSlipperyRock High School, she qualified for the District 10 tournament.

Jenna also plays on the Southwest Junior Golf Tour and another tour in Ohio. Brett also plays in the Southwest Junior Golf Tour.

But the biggest competitive fire they feel is not at the tour events, but when they are playing a round against each other at Oakview.

"Oh, it gets real, real, real competitive," Jenna said. "Yeah, real competitive."

Brett will chide Jenna about her penchant for missing fairways and landing in sand traps. Jenna doesn't shy away from picking on her little brother, either.

"He'll just say a lot of goofy things," Jenna said.

Their father, Marty, who was the golf professional at ARMCO before it changed owners and became Oakview, often golfs with them.

He rarely finishes with them.

"They always argue and fight," Marty said, chuckling. "Sometimes I start playing with them and by the time we are finished, I'm by myself."

But don't let that fool you. When it comes down to it, Jenna and Brett help each other as much as they can.

While Brett taunts Jenna for her dips into the sand traps, he also gives her tips on how to get out of them.

"Usually it's me getting the advice," Jenna said. "He helps me a lot out of the sand. He makes fun of me for that.

"He will hit his sand wedge and get it within a foot of the hole. He's so good at getting up and down."

Brett is happy that his older sister is receptive to his tutoring.

"It makes me feel good that she listens to me," Brett said. "It makes me feel pretty good when she does well."

Brett has very few weaknesses in his game. His short game is top-notch and his putting skills are also excellent.

He is working on driving the ball farther off the tee.

"It's just a matter of length," Marty said.

Jenna has worked on her game off the tee and has shaved five strokes off her score already this summer.

She is now driving the golf ball between 200 and 250 yards. During the fall, she was reaching 175 yards with her drives.

Her putting still remains her biggest strength.

"That's the main reason why I finished second in my last tournament," Jenna said.

For the Rinkers, practice makes perfect.

Jenna, Brett, Marty and sometimes mother, Joan, play rounds of golf at Oakview. When they are not out on the course, they are at the driving range or the putting green.

"I think I can get a lot better," Brett said. "We practice about two to three hours every night."

Brett has a big event coming up.

He will try to qualify for the U.S. Kids World Open, which will be held during the last week in July in Pinehurst, N.C. The qualifying tournament for the event will be held July 1 at Butlers Golf Course in Elizabeth.

The U.S. Kids World Open is a 54-hole event.

"He'll have to shoot a 79 or an 80," Marty said. "Who knows. He's going to have to play his best."