The Arkansas women’s team struggled on the third day of the NCAA’s golf championships like much of the field did on a hot, windy afternoon at the University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens, Ga.
The No. 5 Razorbacks shot a 14-over 302, their worst round of the week, on the 6,372-yard course and trail Southern California by 46 strokes entering the final day. Arkansas is in a tie for 15th place with No. 24 Northwestern.
“The conditions were definitely a little tougher today,” Arkansas Coach Shauna Estes-Taylor said. “The swirling winds made club sections tough to get the ball close to the hole. Obviously we didn’t have our best stuff today, but we’ve got to go out tomorrow and play really hard and try and climb up the leader board.”
The Trojans played the final four holes seven strokes under par and are threatening to run away with the championship with a score of 19-under 845. Southern Cal, paced by individual leader Annie Park, stretched its lead to 17 shots over its closest pursuer, Duke.
Southern Cal was 3 under on the day as one of only three teams to break par. Auburn moved into a tie for ninth place at 3 under and Duke came in at 1 under.
Defending national champion Alabama, grouped with USC and Duke, was 13 over to fall into a tie for third place with Purdue and UCLA and out of the title hunt.
Park leads the medalist race by two shots over Mississippi State’s Ally McDonald and Alabama’s Stephanie Meadow. USC teammate Kyung Kim (4 under) trails Park by five strokes.
Arkansas’ problems were matched or exceeded by many of the 24 teams in the field, including its playing partner, Vanderbilt, which had the day’s worst round of 19-over 307 to drop into 19th.
Junior Emily Tubert had the day’s top round for the Razorbacks, a 2-over 74, after she entered the final four holes at 1 under.
Tubert and teammate Victoria Vela, a senior, are tied for 45th at 6 over. Vela, whose 1-under 71 in the second round has been Arkansas’ top score of the championships, made just one birdie - on her final hole - and shot 5 over.
Freshman Gabriela Lopez had another solid round with one double bogey en route to 3 over for the day and a 9-over total.
Junior Emma Lavy bounced back somewhat from 6 over on Wednesday to card a 4-over 76 for the Razorbacks’ third best score. Freshman Regina Plasencia shot an 8-over 80 and had the team’s drop score.
“This team has all the tools and skills and mind-set to play well on this course, and I really believe we are due some breaks and can get some putts to drop,” Estes-Taylor said. “We hope to end on a high note.
“Any time you can compete in a championship like this it is so valuable. Every time we can tee it up we can learn. This is about continuing to develop a winning mind-set and creating the winning culture we talk about all the time.”
USC followed its NCAA championships record 12 under from Wednesday with a more moderate effort. Park’s four birdies on the final six holes brought her back from a 2-over round through 12. Kim had five birdies and led the Trojans at 3 under in the tough conditions.
Oregon’s Hanule Sky Seo made one of the best shots for the second day in a row. After hitting a hole in one Wednesday, Seo holed out with her second shot on the par-4 15th for a double eagle. She is in a tie for 55th at 8 over.
Leaderboard At University of Georgia Golf Course, Athens, Ga.
Par 72, 6,303 yards Third round
TEAM RESULTS
So. California ................................ 284-276-285-845
Duke ............................................. 286-289-287-862
Purdue.......................................... 289-289-295-873
Alabama ....................................... 288-284-301-873
UCLA ............................................ 289-287-297-873
Arizona St. .................................... 293-287-296-876
Stanford........................................ 290-288-301-879
Tulane ........................................... 295-289-297-881
Oklahoma ..................................... 291-291-300-882
Auburn.......................................... 305-292-285-882
San Jose St. ................................. 284-303-295-882
Michigan St. ................................. 298-291-298-887
UC Davis ....................................... 299-297-294-890
Arizona ......................................... 298-295-297-890
Arkansas ............................296-293-302-891
Northwestern ............................... 298-293-300-891
Oregon.......................................... 301-295-297-893
Miss. State ................................... 300-302-292-894
Vanderbilt ..................................... 299-289-307-895
Oklahoma State ............................ 303-300-294-897
Texas ............................................ 299-295-304-898
So. Carolina .................................. 304-305-292-901
Florida........................................... 299-298-305-902
Wisconsin .................................... 301-309-297-907
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Annie Park, Southern California .........70-67-70-207
Ally McDonald, Miss. State.................70-69-70-209
Stephanie Meadow, Alabama .............69-67-73-209
Kyung Kim, Southern California .........74-69-69-212
Celine Boutier, Duke ............................69-73-71-213
Noemi Jimenez, Arizona State ............73-68-72-213
ARKANSANS
Emily Tubert, Arkansas .......................75-73-74-222
Victoria Vela, Arkansas .......................74-71-77-222
Gabriela Lopez, Arkansas ...................74-76-75-225
Emma Lavy, Arkansas ........................73-78-76-227
Regina Plasencia, Arkansas ................77-73-80-230
Sports, Pages 24 on 05/24/2013