LINCOLN, Calif. ? Junior women?s golfer Mallory Blackwelder opened her third and final round with a birdie leading way to a two-under 70 score as she wrapped up play at the NCAA Championships.

The junior easily carded the best round of the tournament in the final 18 holes, carding five birdies on the day. Blackwelder?s stellar finish improved her from a starting tie for 91st all the way into 56th place. Blackwelder concludes play of the 2008 season for the Wildcats. She was the lone participant in the NCAA tournament representing the Blue and White.

Blackwelder began her round from the 12th tee and immediately dropped to one-under par with an opening birdie. A double-bogey on her third hole was erased just a hole later with a birdie on the 16th. She went back up a stroke on the start of the back nine, before ending her round with three birdies on the last seven holes.

The Versailles, Ky., native had an outstanding season as a first-year player for the Wildcats. She notched three top-10 finishes, including a tie for second at the Qdoba Invitational. Additionally, her scoring average of 75.27 for the season is the best in school history, eclipsing Kate Rogers? 75.71 mark set in 1987-88. Blackwelder also made her LPGA debut this season, appearing in the Kraft Nabisco Championship in early April.

Stay tuned to www.ukathletics.com for more information about the women?s golf team.