Tough third round for Razorbacks

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Scoring temperatures and shifting winds made a tough golf course tougher for the University of Arkansas in third round action at the 2012 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship at the Legends Course in Franklin, Tenn.

The Razorbacks posted a 21 over 309 in the third round for a 913 (303-301-309) in the four-day tournament.  Play concludes with the final round Friday.  Arkansas is 21st overall.

“Ah it was a tough one for us,” said Arkansas head coach Shauna Estes-Taylor.  “We just didn’t quite get the breaks we needed today.  It’s a hard golf course and requires a lot of precision and we didn’t quite have it today.”

Sophomore Emily Podzielinski continues to play well shooting a team-best 76 in the third round.  Podzielinski is in the clubhouse with a 226 (78-72-76).

The Noblesville, Ind., native, turned at two-over and birdied 10 and 11 moving to even for the day.

“I got off to a good start and turned two-over then I birdied the next two and it was really exciting,” Podzielinski said.  “Things just didn’t’ go my way coming it.  It was just one of those days.  Have to think of every shot as my last and leave everything out there. “

Podzielinski hit a pair of good drives on both 10 and 11.  She left herself a tough putt on 10 but drained in for a three on the par four 382 yard hole.  Another good drive on 11 followed by a second shot that came within five feet of the pin allowed Podzielinski to drain the putt and count a three on the par four 362 yard 11th hole.  Podzielinski is tied for 54th overall.

“Pods has a great spirit out on the golf course,” Estes-Taylor said.  “It doesn’t matter where her ball goes she just makes something happen and I love that.  She did a fantastic job the last two days.”

Sophomore Emily Tubert leads the team with a 224 (73-74-77) but struggled with an uncharacteristic round that including five bogeys on the back nine.  Tubert turned even but stumbled on 10 and 11 followed by bogeys on 13, 14 and 16 to finish the day.  Tubert is tied for 40th overall.

The four counting players were plus 14 for the day on the back nine.

Sophomore Emma Lavy has a three-round 230 (75-77-78) heading into the last day of play.  The Fayetteville, Ark., native opened with back-to-back bogies on holes one and two but settled in playing the next eight holes even.  Lavy didn’t make it easy on herself, hitting a good tee shot on five but her ball rolled away from the cup on the hard and fast greens.

She had a 60 foot putt and put it close enough to two putt and save par.  She seemed to be in trouble again on the sixth hole after leaving her second shot below the hole in the fringe, but Lavy chipped up hitting the three foot putt for par.  Lavy is tied for 82nd overall.

Junior Victoria Vela finished the day with a 78 for 233 (77-78-78).  Vela was plus three on each side.  Vela is tied for 101st overall.

Freshman Hally Leadbetter rounded out the Razorback scoring.  Leadbetter is in the clubhouse with a 238 (79-80-79).  Leadbetter doubled her first hole but rallied with a birdie on the second.  She bogeyed three of the next six holes before getting a birdie on No. 9 turning three over.

Her back nine looked similar with three bogeys, a double and one birdie for the round.  Leadbetter is tied for 119th overall.

“Tomorrow’s a new day and we’re going to lay it all on the line and see what happens,” Estes-Taylor said.  “We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  We have all of the tools and want to go out and fun in the last round of the National Championship.”

Second-ranked Alabama continues to lead the field.  The Crimson Tide have a two stroke lead over No. 3 Southern California at 877.  There is a three-way tie for third with No. 33 Purdue, No. 25 South Carolina and No. 27 Virginia with 883.  Seventh-ranked LSU is sixth with 884, followed by No. 6 North Carolina at 885, No. 5 Arizona State with 887 and No. 1 UCLA and No. 26 Oklahoma tied for ninth with 888.