Document text
Fowler comes up short in sudden-death playoff CORVALLIS � Abby Fowler of Medford forced a first-place tie with a birdie on the 18th hole, but was defeated in fifth hole of a sudden-death playoff in the Big I Independent Insurance Classic state qualifying tournament Tuesday at Trysting Tree. Fowler, 17, trailed Kelley Groff of Salem by one stroke after the first round of the 36-hole event, and shot a four-over par 76 to tie Groff at 155 at the end of regulation. "I should have won without going into any playoffs,�� lamented Fowler, who missed a 3-foot par putt on the 15th hole. In the playoff, both players parred the first four holes. On the fifth hole � a par 5 � Fowler hooked her third shot into a grass bunker, then missed a 6-foot par putt, while Groff got on the green in three and two-putted for the victory. The win secures Groff a berth in the Big I national tournament in Georgia. On Tuesday, Fowler, a senior-to-be at South Medford High, carded a 4-over par 40 on the front nine, but shot an even par 36 after the turn. Fowler forced the playoff by sinking a 6-foot putt for a par 4 on the 18th hole. "I couldn�t sink any putts on the front," said Fowler, who placed 14th in the Class 4A state tournament this past spring. "I played pretty solid on the back side." Fowler reached the state event by winning a qualifying tournament at the Rogue Valley Country Club June 16. JUNIOR AMERICAS CUP � At Colorado, Springs, Colo, an Oregon golf foursome trails the leaders in the 23rd Girls Junior America�s Matches at Eisenhower Golf Course at the Air Force Academy. Eighteen teams feature girls 17-and-under from 12 Western states, Canada and Mexico are competing in the 54-hole event. Medford�s Tai Kinney and Johnna Nealy of Grants Pass shot well off the pace as only one Oregon golfer scored in the 70s on the 6,181-yard, par-72 course. Kinney carded an 84, while Nealy had an 86. Kailin Downs of Bend led Oregon with a 77, while Kristen Svicarovich of Aloha shot an 82. Northern California, paced by Kim Welch�s 73, led Mexico, 226-227 after the first day Oregon was 11th with a 243 total. Paige Mackenzie of Washington was the individual leader with a 72. Boys Basketball SPOKANE HOOPS 42, OREGON ICE 38 � At Long Beach, Calif., the Oregon Ice, a 16-year-old boys basketball all star team with players representing seven high schools in the state, were beaten in the consolation championship of the Long Beach Slam and Jam tournament. Eric Fiegi and Ryan Heil of South Medford High were part of the Oregon squad that posted a 5-2 record in the event. Against Spokane, Fiegi had three points and 10 rebounds, while Heil went scoreless. Logan Garvin of Philomath led the Ice with 15 points in the consolation finals The Oregon Ice will play in the Grand Finale tournament in Las Vegas beginning Thursday. 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