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Two-sporter Kinney has singular golf goal By Tim Trower Tai Kinney had good reason to change her spring routine. Rather than play golf and softball as she�s done throughout her North Medford career, the senior could have shelved the latter and concentrated on the sport she�ll compete in collegiately at the University of Minnesota. Kinney, the top returning girl golfer in the state based on last year�s Class 4A tournament, signed a letter of intent last fall with the Golden Gophers. What she didn�t do was sign off on softball. So on Saturday, when the Black Tornado�s doubleheader against Ashland was rained out � it will be played today at 2:30 p.m. at Mt. Avenue Park in Ashland � Kinney took the occasion to hit the driving range. "I knew it was something I�d be doing," says Kinney, a second baseman this year after catching and playing right field in the past, of playing one final season of softball. She has a supporter in Minnesota coach Melissa Arthur, who also played softball in high school before turning solely to golf in college. Kinney was state runner-up last season, losing out on the championship by one stroke to Allison Hanna of David Douglas. Kinney is focused on winning the crown that eluded her a year ago and is off to the kind of start that indicates she will be difficult to stop. In the few tournaments to date, Kinney has shot 71 at Stewart Meadows, 72 at Cedar Links and was 1 under par through nine holes at Rogue Valley Country Club before a tournament was halted because of weather. She continues to be a step ahead of rivals Johnna Nealy of Grants Pass and Abby Fowler of South Medford, veteran talents who will likely battle Kinney all the way through the Southern Oregon Conference and state tournaments. "Actually, that�s what I�m working for," says Kinney of the state title. "I think if I keep doing the things I�ve been doing and working on my game, things will come together." Kinney, twice the SOC champion, gets out of school at noon and practices golf. From there, she goes to softball practice. She works with Ed Fisher, the pro at Grants Pass Country Club. Of late, Kinney is just trying to maintain a repeatable swing and get "all the parts moving together." She�s more comfortable than she was last spring and summer largely because she�s already sorted out her college plans. "It takes a lot of pressure off," says Kinney, noting that her junior year was the "most important for recruiting. I had quite a bit of pressure on me. I had to play well in high school golf and play well over the summer. Now it makes things a lot easier. I can focus on my schoolwork, softball and golf without having that added pressure." When she does get to Minnesota and Big Ten Conference competition, it won�t be long before she squares off again with Hanna. Hanna plays for Ohio State and, in the fall and spring seasons combined, has four top 10 and two top five tournament finishes to her credit. "It�ll be fun to see her again," says Kinney, who has developed a friendship with Hanna. "We played a bunch of junior golf here." Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.