NEED TO KNOW:
Piedmont Leader: T-7th: Erin Donovan
Event Information: 176 golfers
The Course: Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, CA (Par 72, 5883)

PALM DESERT, CA - Erin Donovan of the Piedmont University women's golf team carried on her pursuit of an individual title at the NCAA National Championships posting a 2-over 74 in round three to stay within four strokes of the leader despite heavy movement at the top of the leaderboard.  

Round three featured a new individual leader and several new faces to the top ten.  Canegie Mellon's Emma Wong climbed eight spots to overtake the leaders and grab sole control of the top spot firing a 3-under 69 that put her at 4-under for the tourney.  

Wong is only one stroke ahead of Carleton's Carter Sichol who sits in 2nd by herself.  Only six golfers in the event are below par for the event with Donovan sitting even overall.

Donovan's 74 put her in a two-way tie for 7th, but more importantly kept her in the chase for the top spot with 18 holes to play on Friday.  Thursday's conditions were not kind to everyone as the 2nd round leader, Washington & Lee's Toral Bhatt, who fell 25 spots after a 10-over 82 on the day.

Going off #10 to start her day on the Firecliff course, Donovan posted two birdies in her first nine holes.  One of those came on the par-5 18th which Donovan birdied on Tuesday when playing the Firecliff course for the first time. 

A 3-over 39 on the front nine pushed Donovan back over par though for the round as she finished two over which limited the movement for the veteran on the leaderboard.  

With one more round to go in Cali, Donovan will return to the course tomorrow (Friday) playing in the final group, a fitting finish for a Lion legend.  Tee time for Donovan is set for 12:10 pm. 

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