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Locals enjoy a smooth ride in Cadillac Photo from Tim Mort From left, Jim Garrison, Al Lang, John Warner, Tim Mort are runners-up. Take second place in national tourney By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN The putting proficiency of Medford's Tim Mort and the long-ball striking of John Warner led their team to a second-place finish Monday in the national finals of the Cadillac Invitational scramble golf tournament at Monterey, Calif. The team, captained by Mort, finished with a 72-hole score of 40-under-par 248 in the four-player format. Other team members were Jim Garrison of Bandon and Al Lang of Klamath Falls. Warner, a former Klamath Union prep player, plays collegiately at Boise State University. A team from Trenton, N.J. won the tournament at 44-under 244. Mort's team, which won the Bend regional tournament title at Bend Country Club to qualify for the national finals, shot rounds of 7-under 65 at Pebble Beach Golf Links; 10-under 62 at Old Del Monte Golf Club; 7-under 65 at Spanish Bay Golf Links; and 10-under 62 in a rainstorm Monday at Bayonet Golf Club, near Monterey. "We started off a little cold at Pebble Beach (last Friday) and we warmed up from there," says Mort. "Finally, we were playing lights out. "We were chipping in shots for birdies and eagles, and taking advantage of most of the opportunities we had to score." Mort chipped in from a sidehill lie just off the eighth green at Pebble Beach for birdie. The shot was approximately 70 feet. Garrison knocked in a 90-yard approach shot for eagle on the par-5 first hole at Bayonet. A second local team, captained by John Anhorn of Medford, finished at 20-under for the tournament. For finishing second, the players on Mort's team received two travel vouchers to fly to any destination in the U.S. and five days of accommodations for two at Pebble Beach. They also received numerous tee prizes and a painting of the famed 18th hole at Pebble Beach. Anhorn's team didn't fare as well, but it was certainly an experience to be remembered. "We had a great time and our score placed us in the upper half of the teams, but we didn't place in the top 20," says Anhorn. "Pebble Beach is a great place to play and we enjoyed it." Anhorn's team, which included Bill Anhorn, Jerry Ecklund and Scott Reed, won the Medford regional qualifier last summer at Eagle Point Golf Course. Mort, who has an 11.4 handicap at Rogue Valley Country Club, said his teammates played well together. "The chemistry just came together," says Mort. "We happened to put our capabilities in the right places during most of the tournament. "We went there to try and win it, and we came close. We'll try to get back there next year to win it. It was fun." Mort's team trailed the eventual winning team by two strokes entering the final round. Team members stayed at the Pebble Beach Golf Links Lodge for six nights and played two practice rounds. "It's a five-star hotel even though it has a four-star rating because they have a road running through the area," says Lang. "The course and the accommodations were fabulous. "It's pretty hard to beat Pebble Beach as a golf course, although I like my course (Crosswater Golf Course in Bend) just as much, and I like Running Y (of Klamath Falls) a lot, too." A total of 125 teams and 500 players competed in the national finals. The Medford regional qualifier for the 2001 Cadillac Invitational is scheduled for June 25-26 at Rogue Valley Country Club. Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, OR U.S.A.