NCAA GOLF ROUNDUP : Erb Has 3-Shot Lead in Women’s Championships

Christy Erb, a University of San Diego High School graduate, shot a two-under-par 70 to take the individual lead by three shots Thursday after two rounds of the NCAA women’s golf championships in Columbus, Ohio.

Erb’s round led UCLA to the top of the team standings with the top four Bruins totaling 589 strokes. A fifth, Elizabeth Bowman of Bonita, shot a 73 after an opening-round 80 and is 12 strokes behind Erb.

Arizona freshman Leta Lindley, who graduated from Carlsbad, also shot a 73 after an opening-round 82. Wildcat teammate Susan Pankau, who played at Poway, shot an 80 and is 17 strokes behind Erb.

After sharing the lead with Illinois’ Renee Heiken with a 71 in the first round, Erb leads San Jose State’s Tracy Hanson and Kelly Robbins of Tulsa at Ohio State’s 8,180-yard Scarlet Course.

Erb, a junior, had hit only nine greens in regulation in the opening round, but hit 16 in the second round. She birdied four holes, including hitting a wedge to three feet on her final hole and rolling in the short, uphill birdie putt.

Tim Todd of San Diego State shot an opening-round 69 and is three strokes behind leader Warren Schutte of Nevada Las Vegas after the first round of the men’s NCAA West Regional in Albuquerque, N.M.

Two-time NCAA champion and the reigning U.S. Amateur champion, Phil Mickelson of Arizona State shot a par 72 over the 7,300-yard New Mexico Course. Mickelson attended USDHS.

Thirty-three players matched or broke par. The 54-hole tournament runs through Saturday.

O.D. Vincent and Mike Swingle, teammates at Washington, are tied for second at 68. Todd is tied with four others at 69.

UC San Diego’s Jeremy Moe had the best score of the third round at the NCAA Division III Championships at the Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln, Neb. Moe carded par 71 for a three-day total 236, advancing to 37th in the field. He shot 81 and 84 the first two rounds.

Teammate Bob Knee remained among the top 15 with a 76. He is at 229, tied for 14th.

UCSD moved into seventh place in the team standings and is four strokes out of fourth place.