Spirit of America: Three tied for lead

DECATUR, Alabama (July 3, 2010) -- Chase Parker and Robbie Van Riper have caught up with 36 hole leader Jace Long of University of Missouri, who posted 69-64 in the first two rounds (for a 6 shot lead) but had trouble keeping up with that pace on Saturday. After three straight bogeys and a double at the fourth, Long righted the ship with back-to-back birdies at No's. 6 and 7, then went 1-over the rest of the round to shoot 75. Meanwhile, Parker posted a bogey free 69, while Van Riper bogeyed his first two holes, but came back with five birdies the rest of the way for a 3-under 68 at the 7005 yard, par-71 Burningtree Country Club. Getting off to a good start on Sunday will make all the difference to the final outcome -- the 476-yard second hole and the 435-yard fourth hole played as the two hardest holes among the field.