Duke Set To Tee Off In Final Round At The NCAA Championship

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.? The Duke women's golf team went out at 7:00 a.m. (MT) this morning and completed its third round of the NCAA Championship and will now tee off at 1:20 p.m., in the fourth and final round at the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course in Albuquerque, N.M.

The Blue Devils enter the final round 20 strokes behind Southern California as Duke searches for its fourth straight NCAA title. Duke owns a 54-hole total of 899 and is in eighth place, while Southern California stands at 879. Other teams the Blue Devils will have to move ahead on Friday are UCLA (882), Arizona State (892), Texas A&M (893), Denver (895), Arkansas (897) and Florida (897).

For Duke, Amanda Blumenherst currently tied for 14th with a 223, after finishing her third round with a collegiate worst total of 77 on Thursday. Blumenherst will look for a strong finish on Friday to continue her streak of 31 straight top 10 finishes since arriving at Duke.

Both Jennie Lee and Jennifer Pandolfi are tied for 31st with total of 226, while freshman Kim Donovan is tied for 56th with a 230. Hoping to continue her momentum from this morning, Alison Whitaker is tied for 80th with a 234. Whitaker came out early this morning and had only two shots, but made the most of it as she hit her approach within 12 feet and made the birdie putt to finish with a 76.

The Blue Devils will play this afternoon along with Florida and Georgia. The weather isn't supposed to get out of the 60s today, while thunderstorms are expected this afternoon.

Duke has won NCAA Championships in 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007, while finishing in the top five eight out of the last 10 years.