Adelaide, Australia (10 October) – Steadfast Sweden increased its lead to 11 strokes over Spain after the third round of the 2008 Women’s World Amateur Team Championship at The Grange Golf Club’s East and West Courses.

Caroline Hedwall shot an even-par 73 and Anna Nordqvist posted a 1-over-par 74 on the East course as Sweden picked up three strokes on second-place Spain. They finished 54 holes at 14-under-par 422, tying a championship record for the second-largest third-round lead.

Amanda Blumenherst was part of a good leaderboard move by the USA.(Jon Lamshead/USGA)

"Normally in golf, the third day is moving day but it was more like a waiting day,” Sweden’s captain Walter Danewid said. “Spain was closest to us but not much was happening. We seemed like we were waiting.”

The Swedes are vying for their second title and the chance to become the first start-to-finish winners since the USA in 1990. This trio of Swedish players won the European Team Championships in 2008.

"t is a big lead but there is still a lot of golf to be played,” Danewid said. “We will do our thing and we will stay focused.”

Spain could not take advantage of Sweden’s 1-over-par third-round score and stands at 3-under-par 433.

"Golf is something special,” Spanish captain Macarena Campomanes said of overcoming the large lead of Sweden. “We will try. You never know in golf.”

Japan jumped two places to third place with a third-round 3-under-par 143.

The USA made the day’s biggest move with a 4-under-par 142 to advance four places to fourth with Alison Walshe notching a 4-under-par 69, the best round of the day. Teammates Amanda Blumenherst and Tiffany Joh both shot even-par 73.

Anna Nordqvist of Sweden kept her team on top of the standings. (Jon Lamshead/USGA)

"If all three of us play really well, we should be under par,” Walshe said of her team’s chances in the fourth round. “It’s the kind of a thing where Sweden might be too far away. But, you never know.

Also in medal contention were Netherlands and defending champions South Africa, who are tied for fifth place. Canada is seventh; Denmark and Germany are tied for eighth and Colombia and England are tied for 10th.

The host country, Australia, is tied for 12th.

In the Women’s World Amateur, each team, which has two or three players, plays 18 holes of stroke play for four days. In each round, the total of the two lowest scores constitutes the team score for the round. The four-day (72-hole total is the team’s score for the championship.

The winning team receives custody of the Espirito Santo Trophy for the ensuing two years.

For round four, the teams at the top half of the leaderboard will play the West course. The bottom half teams will play the East.

The International Golf Federation was founded in 1958 to encourage the international development of the game and to employ golf as a vehicle to foster friendship and sportsmanship. The IGF is recognized as the international federation for golf for the International Olympic Committee and comprise the national governing bodies of golf of more than 110 countries.

For more information and scoring visit www.internationalgolffederation.org and click on the WATC Scoring icon.

Story written by Pete Kowalski, IGF Media Officer. E-mail him with questions or comments at pkowalski@usga.org