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Fisher again in hunt for title photo by Drew Fleming By Don Hunt EAGLE POINT � The Oregon Amateur women�s golf tournament just wouldn�t be the same without Marcia Fisher. A six-time champion and two-time runner-up of the state�s most prestigious amateur tourney, Fisher finds herself in a familier position today at Eagle Point Golf Course: the title match. The 47-year-old from Canby will probably be at a disadvantage against University of Oregon star Jerilyn White, who has been routing her opponents all week. But don�t feel too sorry for Fisher, who has enough trophies on her mantle at home to supply a sporting goods store. "I think my game is as good as it�s ever been," Fisher said as she sipped on a soft drink Thursday afternoon following a 1-up victory over Anne Brooksby in the quarterfinals and a 5-and-4 victory over Charisse Spada in the semifinals. "The level of play among the women has improved a lot over the years. It doesn�t get any easier, but I enjoy the game as much as I ever have. "I just love to play." On the men�s side, a pair of Eugene products will square off for the championship. Jeff Quinney, a senior-to-be at Arizona State, meets Jim White III, who graduated from South Eugene High School earlier this month. The 36-hole women�s final begins at 7:30 a.m. today while the men�s title match starts at 7:40. The afternoon rounds kick off at noon and 12:10, respectively. Fisher is a pioneer of sorts in Oregon women�s golf. While at Molalla High School, she played on the boys team and in 1971 participated in the first girls high school state tournament, where she finished second to Mary Budke. More impressive than that, though, is her 31 straight appearances in the Oregon Amateur. She claimed her first title in 1980 at age 27 and added championships in 1981, �84, �85, �86 and �90. Although not a big hitter off the tee, Fisher�s short game is as steady as an ocean breeze. She used it to good advantage Thursday as she shot even par in her victory over Spada. "The young players blow past me with their drives, but that�s been happening for 10 or 15 years, and it doesn�t intimidate me at all," said Fisher, who began playing golf at age 13. "I just take it shot by shot and hole by hole and concentrate on the course rather than my opponent." Fisher�s foe in today�s title match � Jerilyn White � ranks as one of the better college players in the country. The senior-to-be at Oregon played the No. 1 slot for the Ducks most of the college seson and finished 13th at the NCAA tournament in Bend earlier this month. White looked nearly unbeatable Thursday. She romped past Allison Hanna 7 and 6 in the semifinals with a 4-under-par effort. Earlier in the day, she shot even par through 16 holes to register a 4 and 2 quarterfinals victory over Lara Tennant. ``I�m putting as well or better than I have all year," said White, a 1997 graduate of McNary High in Keizer. "The greens here are fast, but if you put a good line on them, they�ll go in.�� White drained a 35-foot birdie putt on her first hole of the day Thursday and later rolled in howitzers of 25 and 30 feet. "If I would have putted this well at the NCAA tournament, I might have won it," she said. "I just hope I can stay this hot for one more day." White, who was just a few months old when Fisher won her first Oregon Amateur title, has played in the same group with Fisher during qualifying rounds. But today will mark the first time the duo has met in match play. "We�ve been staying at the same house the past couple of days and I really admire her," the 20-year-old White said. "It�s going to be an honor playing against her, and I have a feeling she�s going to raise her game up against me. You can never count out someone with her experience." The men�s title match, meanwhile, will feature two young golfers who are on a big-time roll. Quinney was 2 under par through 15 holes during a 4 and 3 victory over Brad Mombert in Thursday�s quarterfinals, then went 4 under during a 6 and 5 victory over Bob Harrington. Quinney had five birdies and no bogeys through 28 holes Thursday, but his crowning moment came on the 526-yard, par-5 12th hole in his match against Mombert when he sank a shot from 90 yards out for an eagle. Jim White III was no less impressive. The 18-year-old was 3 under par during a 4 and 2 quarterfinal victory over Brian Nosler, then made six birdies on the way to a hard-fought, 2-and-1 win over Roseburg native and Portland State University player Brodie Jordan in the semifinals. MEN�S RESULTS Quarterfinals Brodie Jordan, Roseburg CC, d. Chris Maletis, Pumpkin Ridge GC, 20th hole; Jim White III, Springfield CC, d. Brian Nosler, Pumpkin Ridge GC, 4 and 2. Jeff Quinney, Eugene CC, d. Brad Mombert, Bend G & CC, 4 and 3; Bob Harrington, Portland GC, d. Chris Heniff, Tualatin, CC, 6 and 5. Semifinals White d. Jordan, 2 and 1; Quinney d. Harrington, 6 and 5. WOMEN�S RESULTS Quarterfinals Jerilyn White, McNary GC, d. Lara Tennant, Waverley CC, 4 and 2; Allison Hanna, Pleasant Valley GC, d. Brie Del Bone, Trysting Tree GC, 2 and 1; Charisse Spada, Columbia Edgewater, d. Taya Battistella, Widgi Creek, 1-up; Marcia Fisher, Willamette Valley CC, d. Anne Brooksby, Black Butte Ranch, 1-up. Semifinals White d. Hanna, 7 and 6; Fisher d. Spada, 5 and 4. 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