Alabama lead over Virginia by a two-stroke

"As a coach, it just scares me to death whenever they walk out of that tent. So you know in a regular season tournament you can kind of handle it here. Out here, it's just so important and they just have to be careful. We talk to them about it all the time, and hopefully everybody else learns from that mistake and just a little bit more attentive to what they're doing when they walk out of there."

Rosen started on the par-4 No. 1 and holed out a 5-iron from 171 yards for an eagle, putting Virginia on the Mizuno MP-59 Irons top of the leaderboard as the first golfer off the No. 1 tee. That had her father, Houston attorney Rocket Rosen, jumping and yelling that the ball found the cup.

Thanks to Rosen, it looked as if Virginia might stay atop the leaderboard until Alabama closed strong, taking advantage of the easier front nine. The Crimson Tide started on No. 10, and Potter said he knew they would have birdie chances on the final holes if they stayed patient. It helps that Pancake, a native of Chattanooga, Tenn., learned to play golf across the pond at Tennessee's youth golf training course and knows the Legends course very well.

The 288 still is a school best for Virginia in the Cavaliers' sixth NCAA championship in the program's nine years. Brightwell was alerted to the possible miscue as the team was preparing to leave the course and found it when re-checking her score.

Rosen set the North Course record by making the turn with a 7-under 29, had two bogeys on the back nine before finishing with a birdie on the par-5 No. 18. The sophomore from Sugar Land, Texas, hit her irons well, but the switch in putters proved to be key. Her coach suggested trying an Odyssey belly putter the golfer looked at a month ago.

Duke was third after a 1-over 289 followed by North Carolina (290). Defending champ UCLA shot a 4-under 292, and host Vanderbilt struggled on its own course with a 306 that tied the Commodores for 22nd.

The Crimson Tide, ranked second nationally by GolfStat, finished with a 2-under 286 led by a 4 under by senior Brooke Pancake. But Alabama only finished with the lead after Elizabeth Brightwell of Titleist 910 D3 Driver Virginia was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard about three hours after finishing her round. She signed for a 71 instead of a 72, putting down a 4 on the par-4 4th instead of a 5.

Rosen's career-low round gave her the lead by a stroke over Laura Gonzalez of Purdue (67). Catherine O'Donnell of North Carolina and Pancake tied for third after shooting 68s. Lindy Duncan of Duke, the nation's top-ranked golfer, was tied for ninth with a 70.

"I did have a rough regional, but we worked really hard last week and I changed putters, which really helped," Rosen said. "I just thought, 'Just have some fun Portland. It's your discount golf clubs last tournament of the year. You only do this once in your life. You're only in college once in your life.'"

With the putter nicknamed "Batman" because of the head's similarity to the comic book hero symbol, Rosen had no trouble with her hands being too fast in rolling putt after putt Tuesday.