Duke overtook N.C. State after two rounds of the womens’ Ruth Chris’ Tar Heel Invitational at Finley Golf Club.
Rianne Maxili shot 4-under-par 67 Saturday to grab a one-stroke lead in the medalist race at 6-under 136 entering Sunday’s final round of the 14-team tournament. Valentine Delon of Virginia Tech is one back, with Benedicte Brent-Peterson two off the pace.
Duke’s total of 6-under 562 is four ahead of N.C. State and 11 in front of third-place Wake Forest, the nation’s top-ranked team. UNC is seventh, 25 off the lead.
Betsy Sullivan leads the Wolfpack at 138 with Bonnie Lo at 142 and Ellie Hildreth at 144. Duke, which has all five players in the top 18, is sparked by Mindy Hammond is at 141 and Katie Li at 142. Helen Yeung paces UNC at 144. Macy Pate, ranked seventh in the nation, stands at 145 for Wake with teammate Chloe Kovelesky, ranked No. 2 in the nation, at 146.
Mebane’s Emily Mathews is tied for seventh at 141 for Virginia Tech. Thanana Kotchasanmanee, the nation’s top-ranked player from Princeton, enters the final round at 142.
Duke Men: Carson Looney of Duke shot 7-under 65 Saturday in the second round at Golf Club of Georgia to take the lead at 10-under entering Sunday’s final round. Looney’s second-round card included an eagle on the 403-yard, par-4 fifth.
Samuel Mukherjee has posted consecutive 72s for Duke. Georgia Southern leads a deep, 14-team field, at 14-under, three better Georgia Tech and four ahead of Southern Cal. Pepperdine, Northwestern and Charlotte are also between Duke and GSU.
Clemson, Stanford, UCLA and Virginia are other perennial powers in the field at Alpharetta. Daniel Boone of Fuquay-Varina made the top 30 at 144.