UCLA takes three-stroke lead at NCAA golf tourney

text size

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- Kevin Chappell shot a 4-under par 68 Friday to help UCLA take a four-stroke lead over Clemson and Washington after the third round of the NCAA men's Division I golf championship.

The tournament ends Saturday with the top 15 teams playing for the title.

UCLA put itself in contention for the championship with a three-round total of 888 on Purdue's 7,450-yard, par-72 Kampen Course, leading Clemson and Southern Cal by three strokes and defending champion Stanford by five. Ten-time NCAA champion Oklahoma State was in fifth at 895, just seven strokes behind UCLA and four ahead of Florida.

Billy Horschel of Florida, the individual leader after the second round Thursday, fell to fourth after five bogeys en route to a 4-over 76 on Friday. Clemson's Kyle Stanley, the runner-up last year, remained second but lost ground to Chappell with double- and triple-bogeys on the front nine.

Chappell, the Pac 10 player of the year, also led after the first round on Wednesday and had a three-round total of 210. Stanley, the NCAA runner-up last year, and Washington's Nick Taylor were at 214, followed by Horschel at 215 and USC freshman Tim Sluiter at 216. USC teammate Jamie Lovemark, the defending medalist, was well back at 232 after a 6-over par 78.

All of the leaders had completed Friday's round before play was suspended by lightning.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved.