Canadian on top; Roth,Tubert close

Sara-Maude Juneau of Canada had one of Saturday’s only two sub-70 rounds and will carry a one-shot lead into today’s final round at the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout at Mystic Creek Golf Club in El Dorado.

The second round of the Symetra Tour event was suspended at 7:35 p.m. due to darkness for the second consecutive day with eight players left on the course, including former Central Arkansas standout Julia Roth and threetime Arkansas All-American Emily Tubert. Roth, was 1 over for the tournament and 1 under for the round with only the 18th hole remaining, which is good enough for a fourthplace tie with five others.

“I knew … with the delay coming into today that we wouldn’t finish,” said Roth, a three-time All-Southland Conference selection and its player of the year in 2013. “It’s stuff you can’t control.”

Juneau started the day tied for 13th at 1 over. She made 10 consecutive pars before making birdies on the 11th and 12th.

Laura Nochta, the Arkansas State Golf Association’s director of women’s golf, is serving as Juneau’s caddie this weekend.

Casey Grice also had a 69 Saturday, moving from 75th into a tie for 16th at 4 over.

First-round leader Heather Bowie Young had a 3-over 75 after opening with a 3-under 69 on Friday. Young managed two birdies Saturday but couldn’t overcome bogeys on three of Mystic Creek’s four par-5s.

Roth, 25, had three birdies in four holes on the front nine to go from 3 over to even par. She stuffed her second shot at the par-4 sixth, almost holing out from the fairway. Her tee shot at the par-3 seventh was to within 5 feet leading to birdie.

“That was a good stretch for me,” said Roth, who hung

tough despite hitting 10 of 17 greens. “I feel like I’ve been playing steady and you have got to be patient out here because you’re going to make some bogeys.”

After a bogey at No. 11, Roth birdied the par-3 12th to give her birdies on the first three par-3s. She managed four consecutive pars before bogeying the 17th to end her day.

Tubert began Saturday tied for fifth after an even-par 72 in the opening round. She made birdie on the par-5 first but finished the front side with three bogeys and a double bogey for a 4-over 40. Another double bogey at the par-4 11th took her to 6 over before birdies at 12 and 14. She went back to 5-over with a bogey on the 17th before play was suspended.

“I feel like I played better than I scored,” said Tubert who had 34 putts in 17 holes Saturday after completing Friday’s round with 32.

Megan Vaughn (Lake Village, UALR) shot a 6-over 78 and is at 13-over 157, missing the projected 11-over cut by two strokes.

Amanda McCurdy (El Dorado, Razorbacks) had an 8-stroke turnaround from Friday’s opening 13-over 85. She managed a 77 Saturday with the help of three birdies, including two on the back nine.

The conclusion of the second round will begin at 7:45 a.m. with the final round starting no earlier than 9 a.m. from split tees.