Saturday morning update: It took 58 minutes but at 8:28 a.m. Saturday the third round was completed. Megan McChrystal birdied 18 and LSU will start the final round tied for fourth at 27-over, one shot out of third which is Virginia. Tee times will not start for fourth round until 9 a.m. because of the heavy storm that finally hit overnight, so we expect LSU’s tee time to be 1:30 p.m. in the final round. LSU is just six shots out of second. As we get back to the clubhouse a light rain is beginning to fall again. Austin Ernst still in position for an impressive finish as the freshman is at one under for 54 holes, three shots out of the lead. Jacqueline Hedwall tied for 20th.
BRYAN, Texas – A near two-hour lightning delay helped change the complexion of the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships for the LSU Lady Tigers who now must come out Saturday morning and try to hang on to a spot in the final group.
LSU has four holes to complete on its round along with five other teams and they will do that beginning at 7:30 a.m. CST on The Traditions Course. The final round start will be delayed until 8:30 a.m. at the earliest to allow for repairing of the teams for the fourth and final round which with any delay on another overcast day could be headed to a near darkness finish to crown a national champion on time.
LSU is on the course as darkness fell at 14-over par for the round, 26-over for the national championship, tied with Virginia who is finished at 26-over. Basically, LSU will need to pick up one stroke in the remaining combined 11 holes its projected four counting scores have to play to stay in the final group of the tournament with UCLA and Purdue.
If not, LSU would fall into the next-to-last wave with host Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
Positioning will be important because LSU is going for its best finish ever in the national championships (best previous was fifth in 1998) and the first four teams receive awards from the NCAA.
UCLA was plus-5 when the round was halted and is 13-over par, six shots clear of Purdue at 19-over.
LSU was rolling along in the final pairing through the first five-plus holes at close to even par, staying with the two teams in front of them, UCLA and Purdue, when the horn blew at 3:20 p.m. for a lightening delay because of two storms that were sandwiched in on the golf course area.
Ironically, the NCAA softball regional at a location less than five miles away did not receive lightening on its monitors close enough to warrant a stoppage. But in fairness, much more time is needed to clear a golf course with 125-plus players, officials, volunteers and spectators than a softball field.
Play resumed at 5:20 p.m. and for about 40 minutes, the three teams separated themselves from the field. But then trouble came in double and triple for LSU.
Individual leader Austin Ernst of LSU hit shots into hazards on two holes after the delay, taking triple bogeys, while her chief chaser, Tiffany Lau of UCLA, posted the second hole-in-one of the day in the 155-yard par 3 11th hole. By darkness, Lau had a three-shot lead (at five-under through 50 holes) on Ernst and Georgia’s Marta Silva Zamora, playing as an individual representing Georgia. Zamora is finished her third round, while Ernst at four-over on the day, two-under for the championship, has four holes to play and still very much alive for the championship title.
At this point in the round, Jacqueline Hedwall is at even par through 15 holes, Ernst is four over through 14 holes, Tessa Teachman (17 holes) and Megan McChrystal (16 holes) is at five over and Amalie Valle is seven over through 16 holes.
Live scoring for the conclusion of the third round will be available at LSUsports.net through NCAA.com, which will also have final round coverage of the 16th, 17th and 18th holes beginning shortly after 2 p.m. on Saturday. Updates throughout the day can also be found on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LSUwomensgolf and on Twitter @LSUwomensgolf.
UPDATE: Completed Third Round Results
NCAA Division I Women’s Golf National Championship
Traditions Club – Bryan, Texas
Third Round Team Results (Par 288-864)
1. UCLA 289-295-294 – 878 +14; 2. Purdue 292-295-298 – 885 +21; 3. Virginia 291-300-299 -890 +26; 4. LSU 292-296-303 – 891 +27; 4. Texas A&M 295-294-302 – 891 +27; 6. Vanderbilt 297-294-304 – 895 +31; 6. North Carolina 305-293-297 – 895 +31; 8. Southern Cal 302-302-292 – 896 +32; 9. Arkansas 305-296-296 – 897 +33; 10. Alabama 301-303-297 – 901 +37; 10. Florida 294-298-309 – 901 +37; 12. California 306-292-305 – 903 +39; 13. Arizona 304-295-305 – 904 +40; 13. Tennessee 299-299-306 – 904 +40; 15. Minnesota 305-294-307 – 906 +42; 15. Wake Forest 298-307-301 – 906 +42; 17. Arizona State 296-303-308 – 907 +43; 18. South Carolina 302-315-298 – 915 +51; 19. Stanford 308-305-303 – 916 +52; 19. Washington 312-307-297 – 916 +52; 19. Ohio State 303-315-298 – 916 +52; 22. Coastal Carolina 322-302-298 – 922 +58; 23. UC Davis 313-305-307 – 925 +61; 23. Notre Dame 308-310-307 – 925 +61.
Top 5 Individuals (Par 72-216)
1. Tiffany Lua, UCLA 71-71-70 – 212 -4; 2. Marta Silva Zamora, Georgia, 71-71-72 – 214 -2; 2. 3. Austin Ernst, LSU 72-66-77 – 215 -1; 4. Carolina Powers, Michigan State, 70-76-69 – 215 -1; 4. Laura Gonzalez, Purdue 74-71-70 – 215 -1.
LSU Scores
3. Austin Ernst 72-66-77 – 215 -1
T20. Jacqueline Hedwall 72-76-73 – 221 +5
T42. Megan McChrystal 72-77-76 – 225 +9
T87. Amalie Valle 76-77-80 – 233 +17
T99. Tessa Teachman 81-77-77 – 235 +19
Friday evening’s results
NCAA Division I Women’s Golf National Championship
Traditions Club – Bryan, Texas
Third Round Team Results (Par 288-864) (Incomplete – to resume at 7:30 a.m. Saturday)
1. UCLA +13 (through 50 holes); 2. Purdue +19 (through 50 holes); 3. LSU +26 (through 50 holes); 3. Virginia 291-300-299 – 890 +26; 5. Texas A&M 295-294-302 – 891 +27; 6. Vanderbilt 297-294-304 – 895 +31; 6. North Carolina 305-293-297 – 895 +31; 8. Southern Cal 302-302-292 – 896 +32; 8. Florida +32 (through 51 holes); 10. Arkansas 305-296-296 – 897 +33; 11. Tennessee +36 (through 51 holes); 12. Alabama 301-303-297 – 901 +37; 13. California +39 (through 51 holes); 14. Arizona 302-295-305 – 904 +40; 15. Minnesota 305-294-307 – 906 +42; 15. Wake Forest 298-307-301 – 906 +42; 17. Arizona State 296-303-308 – 907 +43; 18. South Carolina 302-315-298 – 915 +51; 19. Stanford 308-305-303 – 916 +52; 19. Washington 312-307-297 – 916 +52; 19. Ohio State 303-315-298 – 916 +52; 22. Coastal Carolina 322-302-298 – 922 +58; 23. UC Davis 313-305-307 – 925 +61; 23. Notre Dame 308-310-307 – 925 +61.
Top 5 Individuals (Par 72-216)
1. Tiffany Lua, UCLA -5 (through 50 holes); 2. Marta Silva Zamora, Georgia, 71-71-72 – 214 -2; 2. Austin Ernst, LSU -2 (through 50 holes); 4. Carolina Powers, Michigan State, 70-76-69 – 215 -1; 5. Brittany Altomare, Virginia, 69-75-72 – 216 E: 5. Amy Anderson, North Dakota State, 74-72-70 – 216 E; 5. Lindy Duncan, Duke, 72-74-70 – 216 E; Kelli Shean, Arkansas, 75-70-71 – 216 E; 5. Laura Gonzalez, Purdue, E (through 51 holes).
LSU Scores
T2. Austin Ernst -2 through 50 holes
T16. Jacqueline Hedwall +4 through 51 holes
T48. Megan McChrystal +10 through 52 holes
T81. Amalie Valle +16 through 52 holes
T99. Tessa Teachman +19 through 53 holes