Duke needed its best game to pass UCLA Thursday at the NCAA Championship. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, their performance was far from superior, pushing them back into third place at one over par.
UCLA--Duke's playing partner of three days--extended its one-shot lead over the Blue Devils to seven strokes by the end of Thursday's third round. Oklahoma State, which had slipped back after leading the competition after the first 18 holes, moved ahead of Duke and joins the Bruins as the only teams under par.
Despite the deficit, both head coach Dan Brooks and the Blue Devils are not worried. The team cited their 2002 National Championship when they trailed by three going into the final round as reason why they are not concerned.
"A couple of years ago, we made our move with just a couple of holes left," Brooks said. "Anything can happen tomorrow. This is why I do what I do. Everyone loves this atmosphere. It's exciting going into the final round. Being patient is what this game is all about."
Contrary to Brooks' predictions after 36 holes, however, no Duke player was under par in the third round--a day sometimes referred to as "moving day."
While the team had some strong drives, trouble on the greens hindered the Blue Devils throughout the round, and the team could only muster 10 total birdies on the day.
"I felt like it was better long game [with] putts not falling in the hole," Brooks said.
On their first hole--the 10th for the Blue Devils, who began on the back nine--both No. 1 Liz Janangelo and No. 4 Brittany Lang narrowly missed putts after long drives on the 349-yard hole.
On the front nine, Duke suffered eight bogies, offset by only three birdies. Janangelo--usually exceptional on par-fives--suffered a double-bogey on her first par-five of the day.
"I think we have some long hitters who will tomorrow be making the holes without even thinking," said senior Leigh Anne Hardin, who carded a 72 Thursday. "We're just going to reevaluate the day like we always do, and just pretend it's another day."
The team's woes, however, continued on the back nine, especially for Janangelo, who ended at five over par and dropped from an eighth-place tie to a tie for 23rd.
The Blue Devils, ending the day with 17 holes over par, finally seemed to be getting on track as each golfer birdied the par-five 5th, the 13th hole in the round. For Anna Grzebien, who finished her round at two over par, and Janangelo it was the day's lone birdie.
None of the players, however, seemed able to capitalize on the momentum gained on the fifth. On the final par five hole the team slipped back into Thursday's uncharacteristic, lackluster play, with Hardin and Grzebien both bogeying the hole.
Still, for the team, particularly Virada Nirapathpongporn, it was not necessary to monitor the tournament standings during today's round. Scoreboard watching will come on the back nine tomorrow.
"I'm staying right here right now until the last putt drops," Nirapathpongporn said about the final 18 holes of her collegiate career.
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