May 21, 2009

NCAA Div. I Championships Individual Leaderboard (live scoring)

Kim's Scorecard

Complete Results in PDF Format

OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Three birdies over her final nine holes on Thursday morning, including one on the 18th, gave UC Davis sophomore Alice Kim a sparkling round of 2-under 70, helping put her into fourth place and within just three shots of the lead heading into Friday's final round of the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club.

Kim, ranked 50th by Golfstat, is the lowest-ranked player in the top four. She'll enter the final round of the 72-hole championship at 3-over 219 after carding the second-lowest total of the day. Jennifer Song of USC, who also had a 70, is at even-par 216 and has a two shot lead over Maria Hernandez of Purdue and Maria Jose Uribe of UCLA.

Three players, including Stephanie Connelly of Central Florida who like Kim is playing as an individual, are tied for fifth at 5-over. Fourth-ranked USC is at 25-over 889 and leads No. 1 Arizona State by two strokes in the team standings. Second-ranked UCLA is four shots off the pace at 29-over while No. 10 North Carolina is well back in fourth at 42-over.

Kim played during the morning wave of players, stepping off the 18th green in the top 10 but gradually moving up in the afternoon as the leaders dropped back to the pack. Her score was the best among the first 65 players to finish their third rounds.

Kim opened her day with a pair of bogeys over her first six holes to go to 2-over but those would be the last of her round. Helped by making a 30-foot downhill putt, she turned the tied with a birdie on the par-5 7th, and then had pars on the next two holes, both which had difficult pin placements according to head coach Anne Walker.

"That (birdie) really got her engine started," she said.

Kim then pounded the back nine for birdies on the par-4, 11th, 14th and 18th holes, while adding six pars to card her best round of the championship. She'll will tee off Friday's final round on the first hole and play with Cindy LaCrosse of Louisville as well as Connelly beginning at 9 a.m. (Pacific). The weather has been ideal but winds could be a factor, Walker said.

"When you look at the top 15 players, most will be playing in the afternoon," she said. "There's a chance the wind will pick up. It'll be nice to play against them in the same conditions."

Kim is making her second consecutive appearance at the NCAA Finals after qualifying with an eighth-place finish at the NCAA West Regional at Arizona State two weeks ago. She opened her championship with a 74 on Tuesday before carding a 75 on Wednesday. Kim finished tied for 34th at last year's championship, helping lead the Aggies to a 21st-place showing in their first-ever finals berth.

(Note: Video coverage of Holes 7, 8 and 9 as well as 16, 17 and 18 are available through the live scoring link above)

NCAA DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIPS
Owings Mills, Md.
Caves Valley Golf Club
Par 72, 6,443 yards
54 of 72 holes

TEAM (Top 5)
1. Southern California, 301-295-294-890
2. Arizona State, 302-298-291-891
3. UCLA, 296-293-304-893
4. North Carolina, 299-301-306-906
5. Denver, 294-304-309-907

INDIVIDUALS (top 5)
1. Jennifer Song, USC, 72-73-71-216
T2. Maria Hernandez, Purdue, 74-72-72-218
T2. Maria Jose Uribe, UCLA, 75-66-77-218
4. Alice Kim, UC DAVIS, 74-75-70-219
T5. Stephanie Connelly, Cen. Fla., 72-74-75-221
T5. Lisa McCloskey, Pepperdine, 74-69-78-221
T5. Azahara Munoz, Arizona St., 78-71-72-221