Carrollton's Sarah Butts shot the first sub-par score of the tournament -- a 2-under-par 70 -- to take the lead after 36 holes. Among those trailing her are Cartersville's Carolyn Barbee and Kaley Branton, both of whom are among the tourney's top-10 scorers.
Butts, with a 3-over-par 147, is one-stroke up on first-flight leader Dayana Marquez of Atlanta and two strokes ahead of Americus' Kathryn Fowler, at a 5-over 149. In fourth place is Caitlin Watts of LaGrange, three back at 150, followed by Brenda Pictor of Marietta, in fifth with 151, and Kayla Jones of Alpharetta, in sixth with 152.
Tied for seventh is Carolyn Barbee, Monday's leader, who fired an 81 on Tuesday and is six off the pace with a 153. She is tied with Lauren Court of Lawrenceville.
Branton, a Cass High graduate who recently finished college at Troy State (Alabama), shot a 79 and is in ninth place, seven strokes back, at 154.
Barbee, a Woodland High graduate who is a rising junior on the Boston College golf team, had carded an even-par 72 on Monday to take a three-stroke lead after the first round of the championship, taking place at The Manor Golf and Country Club.
Butts, a member of the golf team at Samford University, started the day on No. 10 and turned at even-par 36 with birdies on the two par-3s (Nos. 12 and 16) along with two bogeys. She added another birdie at No. 2, a bogey at 6, and finished strong back-to-back birdies on holes 8 (531 yards) and 9 for her 70.
The field of 58 players is divided into six flights based on handicap index. The championship through second flights are playing from the same tees (5,992 yards, par 72) and are eligible for the overall championship. The third through fifth flights are playing the course as a par-72 from 5,373 yards. Entries were open to female amateur golfers who are members of a GSGA Member Club.
Other flight leaders include Danielle Davis of St. Simons Island in the second (157), Sydney Dunning of Marietta in the third (159), Janet Thielemann of Woodstock in the fourth (157) and Alicia Bartlett of Powder Springs in the fifth (180).
The final round begins today at 10 a.m. with players teeing off from the 1st and 10th tees. Butts, Fowler and Watts tee off at 11:40 a.m. from No. 1.