Pepperdine Takes Lead at NCAA Championships

Pepperdine, which had never made the cut at the NCAA Division I golf championships before this season, is in position to win the title with one round to play.

Paced by Andy Walker’s one-under-par 70 and Jason Gore’s 71 , the Waves took a two-stroke lead after the third round Friday at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Ill. Pepperdine has a three-day total of nine-over-par 861.

Second-round leader and host Northwestern dropped into second place at 863. Second-ranked Oklahoma State and Ohio State were at 15-over and defending champion Arizona State was 16-over.

“We’ve got 18 more holes to go,” Gore said. “We can’t celebrate now.

“Tomorrow afternoon at this time, we’ll be able to tell.”

Gore, a senior from Hart High, is two shots off the lead in the individual competition. Gore was the first-round leader and was tied with Keith Nolan of East Tennessee State after two rounds. Nolan shot 69 on Friday for a three-round total of seven-under 206.

First-year Pepperdine Coach John Geiberger again was unable to watch his team play. He is isolated in his Chicago-area hotel room with chickenpox.

The team is being coached by assistant Kevin Marsh, last year’s team captain.