NW Briefs: Amateur over too soon for ex-Husky

Paige Mackenzie hopes to play professional golf.

NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — Former University of Washington golfer Paige Mackenzie was defeated in the opening round of match play Wednesday in the U.S. Women's Amateur at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.

Mackenzie, the top finisher in stroke-play qualifying earlier this week, was defeated 4 and 3 by Curtis Cup teammate Jennie Lee in the morning round of 32.

Lee, who plays at Duke, is the lone remaining member of the Curtis Cup team to advance to today's quarterfinals.

Mackenzie, of Yakima, plans to go to LPGA qualifying school in the fall and embark on a pro career.

"I wasn't planning on going home so soon," she said.

Several local rowers

headed to England

Several rowers with local ties were named to the 2006 National Team to compete at the FISA World Championships Aug. 20-27 in Eton, England: Lia Pernell of Seattle's Pocock Rowing Center in the women's quadruple sculls, Bjorn Larsen of Lake Stevens in the men's lightweight quadruple sculls, Katie Sweet of Seattle in the women's lightweight quadruple sculls, Sam Burns of Seattle in the men's pair and Anna Mickelson of Bellevue and Pocock Rowing Center in the women's pair.

Former University of Washington oarsmen Kyle Larson of Seattle and Scott Gault of Piedmont, Calif., will row in the men's four with coxswain, along with Harvard's Brodie Buckland of Olympia.

Notes

• Ben Pecora was named sports council director for the Kitsap Peninsula Visitors & Convention Bureau.

• Big Four Ticket packages to the 2007 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championship go on sale at 10 a.m. today. The $298 package includes a ticket to four events at the Jan. 21-28 championship in Spokane: the pairs free-skate final, ice dance free-dance final, women's free-skate final and men's free-skate final.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 866-USA-2007 or by visiting www.spokane2007.com.

• The Kent Little League 11/12 team plays Dimond-West Little League of Anchorage, Alaska, today in the Northwest Regional Tournament semifinals in San Bernardino, Calif. The winner of Sunday's championship game goes to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

Compiled from The Associated Press and sports-information reports.