STEPHANIE AND ALABAMA UNDER PRESSURE AFTER THREE ROUNDS

Stephanie Meadow needs an outstanding final round and her university team, defending champions Alabama, need something special on the last day if they are both to be triumphant in the NCAA Women's Division 1 championship at Athens, Georgia.
The British champion from Jordanstown, Northern Ireland slipped out of the lead with her worst round so far, a one-over-par 73 over a par-72, 6303yd course - following scores of 69-67 - for a tally of 209.
That puts the Curtis Cup star in joint second place with Ally McDonald (Mississippi State) (70-69-70), two shots behind the leader, Annie Park (Southern California) who has had scores of 70-67-70 for nine-under 207.
Southern California have gone 17 shots clear in the team championship race with a tally of 845. Duke (862) are lying second with Purdue and Alabama sharing third place on 873.
Stanford are lying seventh on 879 and Tule eighth on 881.
Aberdeen's Gemma Dryburgh marked time on a share of 24th place in the individual statnings with a repeat round of 74 which saw her record four birdies but also six bogets. All her birdies came in the span between the 11th and 18th. The Scot had begun her round at the 10th. 
Gemma's dad, Aberdeen oil executive, John Dryburgh, who is over in Georgia as a spectator at the championships, told Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk
"It's amazing what the combination of strong sun and high winds and some major championship pin placements can do for a tournament.
"At one point Tulane Univeresity had moved from eighth to third and by the time the day had finished they were back to seventh.  A real rollercoaster day for all the teams and with high winds and sun all day forecast the leading teams are going to face the same again on Thursday.
"Gemma played great golf for her two-over-par 74. She turned at two under with four birdies and two three-putts on two of the par fives , on the twelfth from 6ft. She hit every green in regulation and was putting for birdie on seven of the nine.
On the second nine she missed only two greens, one a big bounce on the second green with her pitching wedge and the other a poor shot to the fourth. However, she didn't get up and down on either and three-putted another two greens unusually from good positions and didn't make any of her birdie putts.
"Whilst Gemma was disappointed she is just outside the top 20 and a strong finish will see her finish in the top 20 in what is the strongest field of the women's college golf season."
Edinburgh's Sally Watson (Stanford) is in the joint 67th position after rounds of 76, 73 and 77 for 226.

Southern California extends its lead on Day 3; Park and Meadow battling for individual title

FROM THE GOLF DIGEST WEBSITE

By Brendan Mohler
ATHENS, Georiga -- While the third day of a 72-hole tournament is commonly considered "moving day," only the Auburn Tigers -- who drew inspiration from the brief presence of Coach Kim Evans, recovering from recent surgery to treat ovarian cancer -- succeeded in matching USC's third-round three-under 285. 
At 19-under 845, USC turned its 12-shot, 36-hole lead into a 17-shot cushion over Duke -- the only other team under par -- with only 18 holes remaining. Tied for third place are Purdue, UCLA and defending champion Alabama, who shot 13-over 301 Thursday.


High temperatures and low humidity nearly turned the already firm and fast UGA GC greens to hardwood tabletops, and only 15 players managed to break par. 
But the Trojans grinded through the front nine and shot eight under on the back to post respective scores of 69 and 70 from freshmen Kyung Kim and Annie Park, 72 from sophomore Doris Chen and 74 from junior Sophia Popov.
"I'm just honoured to be playing in this championship," said Park, who leads the individual race by two shots over Alabama's Stephanie Meadow (one-over 73 Thursday) and Mississippi State's Ally McDonald after recording four birdies in her last six holes. "It takes the pressure off knowing how good my teammates are."
The lowest round of the day was a four-under 68 from Auburn junior Marta Sanz, who jumped 32 places into a tie for 14th.
 "On the back nine every putt went in. It was one of those days," said Sanz, who, like her teammates, benefited from having Coach Evans on site. "It shows us what life is and that we're just playing a game."
McDonald's seven-under 209 total has her well within reach of Park's lead, but because her team sits in 18th place at +30, she won't play alongside the other leaders. "I think I'm in a good position to make something happen," said McDonald. "[The leaders] have no control over what I do."
USC's big lead should take some excitement out of Friday's final round, but as has happened in the past, large leads can be erased even more quickly then they are built. However, Park and Meadow are among the favorites to win national Player of the Year honors, so there's more riding on the final round than a team and individual title, as if that weren't enough.
***Auburn's Coach Evans arrived on site yesterday and left this morning via a ride to the airport from Beans Kelly, a close friend and former Georgia women's coach. The Tigers are currently T-9 after posting three-under 285 on Thursday. "The first day, [we] seemed a bit rattled," said Auburn student assistant coach Danielle Downey. "Coach Evans flying in and the team seeing her really settled [our players]."