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Turner six shots off pace

LOUDON - Facing a strong wind, University of Tennessee golfer Marci Turner pulled a shot into the water Saturday during the second round of the SEC championship.

After double bogeying the hole and finishing with a 3-over-par 75, she now faces another formidable obstacle - a six-stroke margin between her and leader Stacy Lewis of Arkansas.

"It's going to be a little bit harder," said Turner, who hoped to win the SEC after two runner-up finishes.

Turner is in eighth place going into today's final round at Tennessee National, while the Lady Vols remained in 10th, despite scoring four strokes better than Friday's round.

Florida shot a 5-over 293 and is first at 590. Behind the Gators are Arkansas (595), Georgia (598), Alabama (614), South Carolina and Auburn (619), LSU (620), Vanderbilt (625), Mississippi (626), Tennessee (628), Mississippi State (637) and Kentucky (645).

Lewis, who shot a 73 Saturday after a 69 Friday, leads Hannah Yun of Florida by one. Yun fired a 70 in British Open-like weather conditions for the best score of the day.

Tiffany Chudy of Florida and Benedicte Toumpsin of South Carolina are at 144, while Dori Carter of Ole Miss is at 145.

At the time Turner hit her shot into rocks and water in front of the par 3 No. 7 - which was her 16th hole - she was even par for the day.

She soon faced another obstacle - her disrupted mental focus - and bogeyed No. 8.

"I didn't regroup very well," said the left-handed senior from Tompkinsville, Ky. "The last three holes didn't feel comfortable at all. But I fought the whole way, so I can at least be proud of that."

Angela Oh also had a good score going until suffering a late triple-bogey and finished at 78. Diana Cantu rebounded from Friday's 84 to shoot a 77, while Ginny Brown had an 82. Rebecca Watson's 83 did not count.

"We are digging a bigger and bigger hole not finishing," said Lady Vols coach Judi Pavon. "This is a better team than we are playing. We are due for a decent round."

Turner has a chance to win the individual competition, Pavon said, adding that she will be teeing off earlier than some of the other leaders and should have little pressure on her.

"She will be able to go out and go for it," Pavon said. "I know she will leave everything out there."

The golfers will tee off between 9-10:30 a.m. today.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.

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