Ex-Battle Ground star wins Oregon Amateur

PORTLAND — Jillian Ferrante Carlile, who was The Columbian’s All-Region high school girls golfer of the year in 2002 and 2003, is now the best woman amateur in Oregon.

Carlile rolled past former University of Oregon coach Lara Tennant 6-and-5 in Saturday’s championship match at Waverley Country Club, claiming the title in the 102nd Oregon Amateur.

It was a shocker of sorts to many from the host club. Tennant, a member at Waverley, has been a perennial all-star, having won numerous titles and being the oldest player to advance to match play when the U.S. Women’s Amateur was at Pumpkin Ridge in 2006.

Carlile, on the other hand, stopped playing competitive golf after her eligibility at Oregon State University ended in 2008.

“For the first three years, I only played once, and that was in the family scramble,” said Carlile, a 2003 graduate of Battle Ground High School.

Tennant was only 1-down after the first 18 holes, then got it to all-square on the first hole of the afternoon.

Carlile, though, would roll off four holes in a row to take command.

Carlile then hit the 445-yard par-5 13th in two, while Tennant ended up in a bunker. When Tennant failed in getting her birdie putt to fall, she threw up her hands and said “This old lady’s done,” as she conceded the match.

In the men’s final, Jack Dukeminier of Eugene and a former Duck defeated former Beaver Tyler Simpson of Happy Valley, Ore., 2-and-1.