Morning Briefing.

Byline: The Register-Guard

From the region: GOLF DIGEST HIGHLIGHTS COURSE IN BANDON: Pacific Dunes Golf Links in Bandon has been named the best new upscale public golf course in the United States for 2001 by Golf Digest, the magazine announced Monday.

Designed by Tom Doak, Pacific Dunes is the new course at Bandon Dunes Resort, and its honor follows a similar triumph by the Bandon Dunes course, which opened in 1999. Bandon Dunes is now rated as the 41st-best course in America by Golf Digest.

Upscale public courses are those with green fees in excess of $50, and Pacific Dunes is "perhaps the last great meeting of sand and sea on American soil," Golf Digest architecture editor Ron Whitten wrote for the December issue that will be on newsstands Dec. 12.

The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction, Colo., was rated the best new affordable public course, and Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va., was named the top new private course. Aspen Lakes in Sisters was named the eighth-best affordable public course. Rankings in all categories are available at golfdigest.com.

Pacific Dunes is expected to receive many other honors in the months to come. The honors received by Bandon Dunes include a ranking as the No. 3 public access course in the U.S. by Golf Magazine and the No. 2 modern course in the country by Golfweek.

Pacific Dunes has been rated superior to Bandon Dunes by many golf analysts, and the combination of the Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes courses is expected to bring the popular Bandon Dunes property high ranking as a golf resort.

RATH LEADS LANE PAST LINFIELD JV: Springfield High School graduate Tisha Rath had 22 points, seven assists and five rebounds to lead Lane Community College to an 80-52 win over the Linfield JV team Monday in McMinnville.

Nicole Brown, from Creswell, added 15 points and Jenny Pippa scored 10 as the Titans pushed their record to 4-0.

Lane plays next in the Dale Bates Tournament at LCC, beginning Friday at 6 p.m. against Columbia Basin. The men's team follows with an 8 p.m. game.

EUGENE TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES HONORED: Becky Sisley, a member of Oregon Track Club Masters, was announced as a new inductee into the Masters Track and Field Hall of Fame on Thursday at the USATF Convention in Mobile, Ala. She joins two other Eugene athletes in the hall of fame, Ross Carter and Jerry Wojcik.

Another member of Oregon Track Club Masters, Melanie Reske, was named field event athlete of the year for the 80-85 age group, and Chris Yorges of Eugene was named the track athlete of the year for the 35-39 age group.

SOUTH'S KOLB COMMITS TO SEATTLE PACIFIC: Jean Kolb of South Eugene High School has signed a letter of intent to compete in track and field for Seattle Pacific University.

Kolb qualified for the state Class 4A final in the 100 meters last season.