Kansas Women’s Golf Completes Day 3 at NCAA Championship

TULSA – Kansas women’s golf started out strong but fizzled on its back nine in the third round of the NCAA Championship as the Jayhawks carded a 303 (+23) Thursday at the Tulsa Country Club.
 
For the second-straight day, KU began its round on hole No. 10, i.e. the back nine. Counting all five scorecards, the Jayhawks ended the back nine at +7 as compared to +13 on the same nine in their first two rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday. Yet like the first round, on Thursday the front nine did not go well for KU as the Jayhawks shot a +24. KU collectively was +39 on the front nine Tuesday and +14 Wednesday.
 
Hole No. 6, a 161-yard par 3 with the green surrounded by bunkers on the left and behind and a pond on the front and right, has been the main culprit to Kansas’ demise on the front nine. Of a possible 15 chances on the hole, KU is +24 with four pars at the championship.
 
“It was number six that got us,” KU head coach Erin O’Neil said of Thursday’s round. “The rest of the holes we did fine. We gave 10 shots away on number six. It’s a tough par three. There’s water. It’s a tough green to hit. Hopefully tomorrow we make our mind up and put a good swing on it and see where it goes and not try to control it so much.”
 
The Jayhawks were led by freshman Pornvipa “Faii” Sakdee who shot at 4-over 74 Thursday, her best round for the event. After shooting an 89 (+19) Tuesday, Faii has responded with a 77 (+7) Wednesday and Thursday’s 74, which included one birdie.
 
“Faii has definitely improved each round, especially after her first round,” O’Neil said. “She played real steady for us the entire round and finished strong.”
 
KU sophomore Yupaporn “Mook” Kawinpakorn was one shot behind Faii with a 75 (+5) Thursday. She had three birdies in her third round and has eight birdies for the championship.
 
KU seniors Meghan Potee and Thanuttra “Fhong” Boonraksasat each carded a 77 (+7) on Thursday. For Potee it was her best round of the championship.
 
“They did a great job of holding their own and keeping their head in a good spot,” O’Neil said of Potee and Fhong’s performance on Thursday. “Meghan did a great job of getting up and down even though she wasn’t hitting it great. She kept it in play and made it work.”
 
“I was better at getting up and down (today),” Potee said. “I’ve been struggling with my irons all week. The wind got me the first day and yesterday I really struggled with my irons. Today was definitely a lot better. My misses were around the green which game me a chance to get up and down.”
 
Jayhawk junior Minami Levonowich ended with an 80 (+10) on Thursday. Levonowich paced KU in the first two rounds and entered the day +5. Levonowich is KU’s individual leader tied for 77th in the 126-golfer field at 225 (+15). Fhong is next at 227 (+17, tied for 90th), followed by Mook at 229 (+17, tied for 101).
 
Through three rounds of the NCAA Championship the Jayhawks are at +69 (909) and are in 24^th out of 24 teams. KU, which qualified for the event by finishing tied for fifth at the NCAA Central Regional May 8-10, will play its fourth and final round at 7 a.m. and will start on hole No. 10. The Jayhawks will be paired with Iowa State and Campbell for the second straight day. KU is 12 shots behind Campbell (897) and 13 from Iowa State (896) heading into Friday’s final round.
 
Duke entered the day three shots behind Oklahoma which led after two days. The Blue Devils shot a 2-under 278 Thursday to take the lead heading into Friday’s final round. With a three-round 856 (+16), Duke has a six-shot lead over USC which also shot a 2-under Thursday and is at 862 (+22). Oklahoma is third at 866 (+26) after its 291 (+11) Thursday.
 
Duke’s Celine Boutier shot a 3-under 67 Thursday and is tied with USC’s Doris Chen at 207 (-3) through three rounds for the individual lead. Chen shot a 68 (-2) in Thursday’s third round. There are five golfers at even par or better heading into Friday’s final round.
 
“If we focus on our game and our game plan and not worry what everybody else is doing or what we think we need to do, just go play, we’ll do alright,” O’Neil said.
 
“I need to be more confident in my swing; I need to trust it,” Potee said about heading into Friday’s final round. “I’ve been warming up well (at the NCAA Championship). I don’t know if it’s funky lies or whatever. I just need to trust it. I know how to hit good shots. I know how to hit greens. I know how to make birdies and birdies aren’t happening so far. I just need to trust it and play confident and swing with conviction.”
 
Live scoring from the NCAA Championship is at www.golfstat.com and one can also follow KU via twitter at @KUWomensGolf.
 
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