Following is the online diary of Susie Mathews as she competes in the NCAA Championships this week at Auburn’s Grand National Resort in Opelika, AL.

Day 4
May 19, Third Round

Susie Mathews fired a four-under par 68 in the third round and is tied for the lead at eight-under par 208.

Today, CBS filmed us while we were eating dinner. It was quite a lot of fun. We were laughing and having a bit of fun with them. You know those two fuzzy things they carry around to catch the sound? Well, Charlotte (Mayorkas) and Gina (Umeck) gave them names. The big one they call Oscar, but I can’t remember what they named the small one. They were saying, “Be sure to speak up, Oscar wants to hear everything you have to say!”

CBS wanted to ride in our van on the way to the course tomorrow, but that’s not going to happen.

We’re having fun talking to the media out here. It’s a different state of awareness.

The weather was fine today. It was not breezy, but quite humid. We didn’t have any delays, but it was still a five-hour round.

I was fortunate to be playing with Karin Sjodin of Oklahoma State. She’s from Sweden and I met her in 2002 when I played in a tournament over there. I got to know her quite well and today we had quite a bit of fun out there. It was a very relaxing day on the course. We’re playing together tomorrow so I’m looking forward to it.

I started off today with a birdie at No. 10. The pin was on the first tier on the right side. I sank about a 15-footer for birdie. It was downhill but fairly straight. It was an excellent way to start the day. A birdie is always a great way to start the round.

I only had one bogey at my fourth hole (13h). I hit my approach long — the pin was in the back of the green — and I didn’t get it up and down.

On my 14th hole (5th) I made a great birdie. I hit my tee shot into the right side bunker. I hit a 6-iron approach to seven feet and made the putt. That was a really good birdie.

Tomorrow (Friday) we’ll be playing our hearts out. It will be one hole at a time, one shot at a time.