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Early exit costs Smith photo by Bob Pennell Dave Schoenmann tries to get a better look at the No. 10 green from the fairway during the second day of play in the Oregon Amateur Championship at Eagle Point Golf Course. By Kevin Goff EAGLE POINT � Rogue Valley Country Club�s Tommy Smith came one hole, and two costly penalty strokes, away from earning medalist honors and the No. 1 seed Tuesday at the 91st Oregon Amateur Golf Championship at Eagle Point Golf Course. Smith fired a 2-over-par 146, leaving him tied for the top spot with Pumpkin Ridge�s Chris Maletis. Smith wasn�t aware of the playoff and had already left the course when he was called back. He was assessed a two-stroke penalty, leaving him little chance to come out on top in a one-hole playoff, which Maletis won to earn the top seed. "It was just a misunderstanding on my part," said Smith, who takes the third seed into match-play against Shadow Hills� Brandon Richardson. Smith, last year�s Southern Oregon Golf Tournament champion, started slow on Monday before settling in with a 74 and then a 72 on Tuesday. "I had a rough start (Monday)," said Smith. "But as the round went on more today I started feeling a little more comfortable. "I felt I could be pretty competitive coming into this, but (the No. 3 seed) surpassed my expectations." Defending champion Ryan Lavoie returns with the second seed after two days of waiting. Dave Schoenmann, also of Rogue Valley CC, narrowly edged into the round of 32 with a 155. Schoenmann and four other competitors tied at 155, then battled for the final four qualifying spots in a playoff. Schoenmann immediately punched his ticket into the match-play round when he parred the first playoff hole. He left a 65-foot putt just 10 feet from the hole and then sank his next attempt to garner the 29th seed. The other four bogeyed the hole and were forced to settle the issue on the remaining holes. Schoenmann now matches up with Pumpkin Ridge�s Brian Nosler, who notched a second-round mark of 3-over-par 147. First round leader Bob Harrington fell back into the pack with an 81 but still qualified with a 6-over-par 150. Harrington scorched the rest of the field on Monday with a 3-under 69 that earned him a three-stroke lead heading into Tuesday�s action. His son, Scott Harrington, also cooled off after Monday�s 72 left him in a three-way tie for second. He carded a 6-over 78, leaving him with a 150 heading into match play. Former Ashland High standout Jason Allred, expected to contend for the title, withdrew from competition before tournament play began because of another commitment. On the women�s side, Jerilyn White overtook Marcia Fisher for medalist honors. White, the 1998 and 1999 PNGA Women�s Amateur Champion, fired a 2-under-par 70 for a two-day total of 144. Fisher, Class 4A Oregon state champion Allison Hanna and Jennifer Dodd, finished tied at 1-over 145. North Medford High�s Tai Kinney continued her consistent play with a match-play qualifying mark of 154. Kinney takes her ninth seed against eighth-seeded Lara Tennant of Waverley Country Club, who ended the day with a 153. Today�s round consists of 18-hole matches, double rounds for men, and double rounds on Thursday for both men and women. The 36-hole final concludes play on Friday. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA