WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Kevin Chappell shot a 4-under par 68 Friday to help UCLA take a three-stroke lead over Clemson and Southern California after the third round of the NCAA men's Division I golf championship.
The tournament ends Saturday with the top 15 teams playing for the title.
Chappell also took the individual lead by four strokes over Clemson's Kyle Stanley and Washington's Nick Taylor.
UCLA put itself in contention for the championship with a three-round total of 888 on Purdue's 7,450-yard, par-72 Kampen Course. Defending champion Stanford was five strokes back, and 10-time NCAA champion Oklahoma State was in fifth at 895 -- just four strokes ahead of Florida.
The Gators' Billy Horschel, the individual leader after the second round Thursday, fell to fourth after five bogeys en route to a 4-over 76 on Friday. Stanley, the runner-up last year, remained second but lost ground to Chappell with double- and triple-bogeys on the front nine.
Chappell, the Pac-10 player of the year who also led after the first round on Wednesday, had a three-round total of 210. Stanley, the NCAA runner-up last year, and Taylor were at 214, followed by Horschel at 215 and USC freshman Tim Sluiter at 216. USC teammate Jamie Lovemark, the defending medalist, was well back at 232 after a 6-over par 78.
All of the leaders had completed Friday's round before play was suspended by lightning.