Doughtie Battles Elements To Fire 74 at NCAA Third Round

Thursday, May 22

Albuquerque, N.M. - New Mexico Championship Golf Course

All Day

NC State

NCAA Women's Golf Championship

Doughtie Battles Elements To Fire 74 at NCAA Third Round

5/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf

ALBUQUERQUE Junior Lauren Doughtie shot a two-over 74 during Thursday’s third round of the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships and sits tied for 62nd among a field of the top players in the country at the UNM Championship Course.

With the severe windy conditions hampering play on Wednesday, a majority of the field, including Doughtie, were forced to complete their second round early on Thursday and then come back to play the third round in a shotgun format that afternoon.

The third round was by far the best Doughtie has played all week. The No. 45-ranked player in the nation began on No. 18 and promptly began with a birdie at the par-5 home hole.

After bogeys at Nos. 1 and 2, Doughtie followed with three pars, then another birdie at the par-4 sixth, followed by two more pars and she was at even par through her first nine holes.

After giving back a shot at the par-5 9th, she posted her third birdie of the round on the par-4 11th to remain at level par for the afternoon round.

Doughtie did give back a couple more shots down the stretch with a pair of bogeys at 15 and 17, but still posted her best 18-hole stretch of the week.

Her 54-hole total stands at +14 (76-80-74=230). She is tied among a group of nine and has a realistic chance of a top-50 placement. Doughtie is only three shots in back of a group of eight that are tied for 44th.

The morning round, which was Doughtie’s second of the tournament, began at hole No. 2 bright and early at 7 am.

She got off to a tough start with a pair of bogeys, but after three pars on Nos. 4, 5 and 6, she recorded her first birdie of the round at the par-3 7th. However, a bogey and double bogey followed and she was out in 41 (+5).

Doughtie got a stroke back with a birdie at the par-5 10th, but then went bogey, bogey, double bogey, par and bogey at No. 15 to fall all the way back to nine-over.

But she did finish on a bright note with another birdie at the par-5 18th to finish at 80 and was tied for 90th among 126 competitors after 36 holes.

The fourth and final round is scheduled to begin Friday morning at 8 am from the UNM Championship Course. A handful of the field had to finish their third round Friday morning at 7 am.