Oak Park senior McKune changes swing

Updated: August 5, 2011 7:10PM

If everything goes according to plan, Joe McKune will be playing golf right up until the start of tryouts Aug. 10.

The Oak Park-River Forest senior isn’t giving himself much of a break entering the opening day of preseason practice. He will compete in the Mid-American Junior Golf Tour’s Challenge at Strawberry Creek Aug. 8-9 in Kenosha, Wis.

McKune, a right-handed pitcher for the baseball team, gave up some of his commitments to baseball this summer to devote much of his time to golf. The Oak Park resident tied for 103rd in the Class 3A state meet last season. Senior teammate Alex Decorrevont, who tied for 40th, was the only other Huskie to qualify for the state meet.

“I’m ready for tryouts and the invitationals afterward,” McKune said. “I feel pretty good about (the fall season), especially with all the experience of tournaments I have played in.”

McKune finished 93rd in the Illinois Junior Golf Association’s Chick Evans Junior Amateur Championships last week at Itasca Country Club. McKune (84-76—160) rebounded in Friday’s second round after battling the weather in the first round. Flooding after some heavy rains shortened the par-71 by two strokes in the second round when officials turned a pair of par-4s into par-3s.

“It rained three to four holes (Thursday),” McKune said. “It didn’t help the fairways. With a wet ball, obviously you did not get a lot of roll. I struck the ball better on Friday.”

Recent Fenwick graduate Jack Sloan, a River Forest resident, tied for 121st at Chick Evans.

McKune is close to finishing his third summer playing in the IJGA, the most popular destination for high school golfers during the summer. The MAJGT is affiliated with the IJGA and opens the field for its tournaments to golfers from across the Midwest.

McKune’s top finisher there this summer was third (74-70—144) at the Illinois State Classic July 18-19 at Illinois State University. He finished behind Jake Schneider (136) of Peoria and Matthew Weber (141) of St. Charles.

Before the Chick Evans tournament, McKune appeared in seven IJGA events with his best finish of second place coming in the Jarvis Memorial July 5 at Cress Creek Country Club in Naperville. McKune tied Mount Prospect resident Samuele Masini a 74, but lost the tournament title in a playoff. In 2010, McKune won the Jarvis Memorial.

McKune opened the summer with three consecutive top-eight finishes in IJGA events at the Links at Carillon in Plainfield, Coyote Run in Flossmoor and White Pines in Bensenville.

He shot 84-81—165 and failed to make the cut at the 42nd Illinois State Junior Amateur June 28-29 at Makray Memorial in Barrington.

With help from teach pro Jay Miller at Fresh Meadow Golf Club in Hillside, McKune has attempted to change his swing.

“It has worked out well, though I have gone back to some old habits,” McKune said. “I have taken a few steps back. With all the tournaments I’ve had, it’s been hard to make swing changes. I’ve worked on little things; a lot of short game.”

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