Alabama's Lauren Stephenson
(Alabama Athletics Photo)
ATHENS, GA (May 9, 2017) - With three players inside the top-10 after 36-holes top-seed Alabama has taken over the lead at the Athens Regional hosted by the University of Georgia Golf Course.
With the temperature reaching the 80's and scoring conditions ideal Alabama put together a 4-under day to reach 3-under and take a five shot advantage with one round to go.
Through the first two days Alabama has been paced Lauren Stephenson who at 5-under is in second place. On Tuesday Stephenson followed up her first round 3-under 69 with a 2-under 70 that included four birdies and two bogeys. Stephenson bogeyed the 3rd and 4th holes before rebounding in a big way with a 5th hole birdie and then additional tweeters on Nos. 8, 9 and 15.
Also in the top-10 for Alabama are Cheyenne Knight (T6; -2) and Kristen Gillman (T9; -1).
In the medalist race the lead has remained the same as Jennifer Kupcho of Wake Forest continues to pace the field. Sitting at 6-under Kupcho will take a slim one shot lead into the final round.
During the second round Kupcho tallied a 2-under 70 thanks to a strong finish. Starting on the second nine Kupcho was 1-over after 11-holes but she had some late magic on this day in the form of 3rd, 4th and 9th hole birdies.
Behind Stephenson (-5) in second place come Alice Hewson (Clemson), Amy Lee (Baylor) and Laura Fuenfstueck (College of Charleston) all of whom are tied for third at 3-under.
From each regional six teams will advance to the NCAA Championships.
Outside of Alabama the teams currently in position are Baylor (+2) in second place, first round leading and 14-seed Michigan State (+5) is in third, Clemson (+10) is fourth while Northwestern (+12) and Tennessee (+12) share fifth.
Host Georgia (+16) is currently four shots out of the final qualifying spot in seventh place, Arizona (+19) who missed match play in the NCAA Championship by a shot last year is in eighth.
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NCAA Women's East Regional
54 hole women's NCAA Regional from which the low
teams advance to the NCAA Championship.
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