Sarah Kemp Surges to the Lead in Sensational Comeback at Australian Women’s Classic
Seoul, Korea – Sarah Kemp has completed a remarkable comeback, storming into the lead at the Australian Women’s Classic with a stunning 8-under-par 62 on Saturday.
Just eight months after a near career-ending injury, the 39-year-old Australian finds herself on the brink of victory at Coffs Harbour Golf Club, holding a two-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round.
Kemp, who suffered a compound fracture to her tibia and fibula in a freak golf cart accident last August, has defied expectations in her first tournament back. “I had absolutely no expectations, so I’m really shocked!” she admitted.
An Unbelievable Round
After starting four shots behind the leaders, Kemp bogeyed the 2nd hole, but quickly turned things around, firing nine birdies over her next 17 holes to reach 10 under par for the tournament.
“Honestly, the goal was just to finish this week,” Kemp said. “With my leg injury, I’ve now got screws in there, and there’s still some pain—especially bending down. I just wanted to get back into tournament mode and walk 18 holes.”
Her putting proved crucial, with key birdies at the 6th, 11th, and 16th helping her charge to the top of the leaderboard.
“I was able to practise putting at home, so I’ve done a lot of work on that,” said Kemp, a 12-time WPGA Tour of Australasia winner. “It definitely played a big role today, but I’m still shocked.”
Chasing Pack in Pursuit
Sitting two shots back at 8 under par are Belgium’s Manon De Roey and Wales’ Darcey Harry.
De Roey, a two-time Ladies European Tour (LET) winner, carded a 7-under 63, rolling in multiple long putts to put herself in contention. “It was quite an easy round today, much better than yesterday,” she said. “I felt comfortable and holed a lot of putts.”
Harry, one of the overnight leaders, endured a mixed round of 68 (-2), which included six birdies and four bogeys. Despite some frustration, the LET rookie remains optimistic: “If you told me last year I’d be in this position, I wouldn’t have believed you! I’m just taking it all in and enjoying it.”
One shot further back at 7 under par are Sweden’s Moa Folke and Thailand’s Cholcheva Wongras. The 17-year-old Thai sensation has been one of the stories of the week, thrilling local crowds with a 6-under 64, capped off by a clutch birdie at the 18th.
Final Round Set for Dramatic Finish
A group of three players share sixth place at 6 under:
Emma Spitz (Austria)
Cara Gainer (England)
Lauren Walsh (Ireland)
In total, 76 players made the cut at 4 over par, including amateurs Rachel Lee (Australia) and Hyojin Yang (South Korea).
The final round begins at 8:55 AM local time on Sunday, with live coverage available on the LET website and select broadcasters worldwide.
Tournament Format & Prize Details
Format: 54-hole stroke play (132-player field: 80 LET players, 30 WPGA players, 22 invites).
Purse: €300,000
Course: Par 70 (6,129 yards) at Coffs Harbour Golf Club
With Kemp chasing a fairytale victory, and a strong chasing pack close behind, the final round promises an exhilarating finish at the Australian Women’s Classic.