102nd Oregon Amateur Champions Crowned

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The Gallery Follows Carlile

Portland, Ore. (June 25, 2011) -- It was another one for the record books at historic Waverley Country Club as the 102nd Oregon Amateur crowned two new champions.

In the Men's Division, former Oregon Duck standout, Jack Dukeminier of Eugene, Ore. won his second major match play title defeating former OSU golfer Tyler Simpson of Happy Valley, Ore. 2 & 1.

In 2005, Dukeminier captured the Boys Junior Amateur title and now becomes one of only four other men to have earned both titles in the combined 81 year history of the two events.  He joins a list that includes former Walker Cupper Bruce Cudd (Oregon Amateur, 1952 & 1953; Oregon Junior Amateur, 1950), Chris Holzgang (Amateur, 1989; Junior Amateur, 1984), Mitch Mooney (Amateur and Junior Amateur, 1975), and Randy Mahar (Amateur, 1977; Junior Amateur, 1984).

Dukeminier Tee Shot on 9
Dukeminier, who is pursuing a Master's degree in finance, learned that he had been recognized as the top men's golf student athlete in the Pac-10 Conference not long after he bested defending champion Paul Peterson to advance to the finals.

Simpson, a graduate of Clackamas High School, took an early command of the finals match winning the first two holes. but Dukeminier retuned te favor winning holes 4 and 5 to go all square.  It continued going back and forth the entire morning, and the duo finished the first 18-holes all square.

The afternoon round, however, was entirely different.  Dukeminier won the first hole and never looked back getting to 3up after the 27th hole turn.

Simpson tried to rally winning the 11th and 12th holes. The match, in fact, could have been all-square after the par-5 13th hole when Dukeminier conceded Simpson's birdie putt on the par-5 13th.  But Dukeminier, who had missed the green left his chip shot 15-feet short had a different outcome in mind.

"It broke hard to the right, and I knew I had to make it," said Dukeminier.  "I made a nice run at it, and it went right in. It was definitely a big putt to make."

Dukeminier retained his 1up advantage as both players made par on the next three holes.  On the 17th hole, they mirrored each other's tee and approach shots, leaving both with a 20-foot birdie attempt.  Dukeminier made an excellent lag leaving a short par putt, but Simpson ran his putt 4-feet past the hole, then missed the comeback par putt giving Dukeminier the win.

"I wasn't really thinking about the consequences of missing at that point," Simpson said of his birdie attempt.

"It was going to be tough, with Jack's length, to beat him on 18 (a par-5), and I gave it a run and just missed the comebacker, unfortunately."

In addition to his Junior Amateur title in 2006, Dukeminier also was co-medalist in the OSAA 4A High School championships while helping Sheldon High to two consecutive state titles. He also became a key player for Oregon the past couple years as the Ducks became a nationally recognized team.  In 2010, he tied for third at the NCAA Championships as his team finished the season ranked third in the nation.

"In my mind, I always thought I was one of the best players in the state," Dukeminier said. "Now I can say for sure."

In the Women's matches ex-Oregon State golfer Jillian Ferrante Carlile took the title with a dominating 6 & 5 win over veteran Lara Tennant - a former women's golf coach at Oregon.

It was a shocker of sorts to many as Tennant has been a perennial all-star, having won numerous titles and being the oldsest player to advance to match play when the U.S. Women's Amateur was contested at Pumpkin Ridge in 2006. She was also the Oregon Amateur runner-up in 2007.

Carlile, on the other hand, stopped playing competitive golf after her eligibility at OSU ended in 2008. "For the first three years, I only played once, and that was in the family scramble," said Carlile, a graduate of Battle Ground High School in Southwest Washington.

As a Waverley member and clearly the home course favorite, many saw a title by Tennant as a fiting conclusion for the current course layout before the course begins a major renovation to return it to match its original Chandler Egan design from 100 years ago.

She beat two college and two high school standouts to reach the finals, and it all seemed within reach as it was close at the halfway point.  Tennant was only 1-down and she got it to all-square on the first hole of the afternoon.  But then, Carlile won four holes in a row to take a commanding lead all the while Tennant struggled to find fairways and greens, a necessity on the tricky Waverley setup.

Carlile then hit the 445-yard par-5 13th in two, while Tennant ended up in the greenside bunker. When Tennant failed in getting her birdie putt to fall, she threw up her hands and exclaimed, "This old lady's done!" to concede the match.

Tennant Concedes Match

Men's Final (Qualifying Score)
Jack Dukeminier, Eugene, Ore.  (135) def. Tyler Simpson, Happy Valley, Ore.  (137) - 2 & 1

Women's Final (Qualifying Score)
Jillian Carlile, Vancouver, Wash.  (154) def. Lara Tennant, Portland, Ore.  (158)  - 6 & 5

ABOUT THE OREGON AMATEUR
The Oregon Amateur Championship, administered by the Oregon Golf Association, is one of the oldest and most prestigious amateur sporting competitions in the state.  This year it returns to its roots at Waverley Country Club for its 102nd occurrence.

The inaugural Oregon Amateur was held at Waverley Country Club in 1904, the only course in Portland at the time.   Waverley hosted the event every year until it moved to Gearhart Golf Links on the northern Oregon Coast in 1917. The event was cancelled in 1918 due to World War I, but returned to Waverley and then Portland Golf Club and Tualatin Country Club from 1919-23.  Waverley has hosted the championship a total of twenty-four times.

While many state Championships have become stroke play competitions, the Oregon Amateur, one of the nation's oldest, remains true to its roots playing the same traditional match play format that's used to this day to determine the best amateur champions even at the national level. It's also one of the few Men's and Women's amateurs held concurrently, always played at the same time at the same site. It is held only at the finest golf courses and historically showcases some of the most talented amateur golfers in the Northwest.

ABOUT THE OGA
The Oregon Golf Association (OGA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit membership association. Founded in 1924, the OGA was originally established with the sole purpose of conducting the Oregon Amateur Championship. Since its founding 87 years ago, the OGA works tirelessly to promote, foster, and grow the game of golf providing a multitude of benefits and services to approximately 45,000 individual men, women, senior, and junior members at over 270 member golf clubs and 190 golf courses throughout the Oregon and SW Washington.

As a regional representative of the United States Golf Association (USGA), the OGA is responsible for administering the USGA Handicap System as well as rating and measuring all regulation golf courses in accordance with the USGA Course Rating System. It also works closely with a number of allied associations within the golf industry for the betterment of the game.

The Oregon Net Championship Amateur is one of 30 state championships or USGA qualifiers conducted annually by the Oregon Golf Association.  Other match play championships include the Oregon Amateur and Junior Amateur.  Stroke play competitions. include the Mid-Amateur, Super Senior, Men's, Women's and Junior Stroke Play championshps.  Additionally the OGA conducts team competitions for Men and Women and the popular Parent/Child Chapman along with the OGA Tour for players of most any ability.
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