Permanent link All PostsSturdy Kyndall Ardoin’s 5-7 frame is in Indiana this week, but her heart and mind are still in Louisiana. A native of the northern part of the state, Ardoin admits that the oil spill and the ongoing environmental disaster aren’t impacting her family directly, but they’re affecting everyone in the state in some way. Ardoin, a rising sophomore at the University of Arizona, has grandparents in Baton Rouge who are feeling some of the brunt, but has no doubt in the undeniable spirit of Louisiana residents. “It’s really tragic, but we’re pretty tough,” she said. “We came back from Hurricane Katrina.” There’s little doubt where Ardoin, who opened with 75, gets her competitive drive. It’s from ongoing singing duels with her sister. Off the course, Ardoin sings karaoke – including a mean rendition of Alannah Myles’ Black Velvet – and her older sister, Renn, 24, is a talented singer. “She sings like I play golf,” quips Ardoin, who has her father, Cholla, on the bag this week. Ardoin, who says she prays before each round for her family, both immediate and extended, knows it’s time to count her blessings as millions of barrels of oil spew into the gulf. “We’ve been pretty lucky that our family has not been affected,” she says. – Andrew Blair