October 3, 2008

DES MOINES, IOWA . . . Defending champion Wartburg College fired a 327 Friday at A.H. Blank Golf Course and extended its lead to 46 strokes following the third round of play at the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) Women’s Golf Championship. Central College’s Sarah Paulson fired an 81 to lead defending medalist Steph Burns of Wartburg by five strokes heading into the final 18 holes. Burns carded the low round of the day with a 5-over-par 77.

With one round to play, Wartburg (315-319-327—961) has amassed a substantial lead in the team race. Central (325-323-359—1,007) leads Luther (333-331-345—1,009) by two strokes for second place, while Simpson (336-349-339—1,024) is comfortably in fourth. Coe (348-349-386—1,083), Loras (367-353-383—1,103), Buena Vista (379-377-389—1,145), Cornell (389-387-391—1,167), and Dubuque (433-412-441—1,286) round out the field.

Simpson’s Katie Vaux (82-76-80—238) sits in third place individually behind Paulson (76-71-81—228) and Burns (75-81-77—233). Central’s Eva Downes is fourth at 244, one stroke ahead of a trio of golfers – Wartburg’s Daina Deery and Kate Thompson, and Luther’s Amy Ekland – at 245. Simpson’s Megan Smith (8th, 249), Wartburg’s Paige Klostermann (9th, 250), and Luther’s Lindsay Thies (10th, 251) round out the top-10.

The IIAC Championship concludes Saturday at A.H. Blank Golf Course in Des Moines. Tee times begin at 9:00 a.m. with players paired according to their individual score.

Complete 54-hole results can be found here.

-30-