NSW’s golfer Sarah Kemp has produced her equal-best finish in an LPGA Tuor event on US soil when 4th at this past week’s LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America event in Colony Texas, securing an important cheque of some US$93,000 for her efforts, the biggest cheque of her professional career.
Kemp finished five shots from the leader Hyo Joo Kim, birdies at her final two holes making a significant difference in her pay cheque.
Kemp is having one of her best seasons on the LPGA Tour and is now well inside the top 50 and assured of ongoing status for 2024 and in position to secure a place in the top 60 who make it to the Tour Championship next month.
“Yeah, I’m definitely having one of my better years for sure,” said the 37 year old from the North Coast of NSW. I didn’t play well last week but I wasn’t too worried about it. Yeah, just been playing nice and solid this year. Nothing too crazy. I’ve been putting well.
“I looked at my stats and they were some of the better ones this year than previous years, so just keeping it together and having a better attitude than I have in the last few years. Sometimes I think I have been trying a little too hard and wanting it a bit too bad, which is not a bad thing, but I think it sort of turned around and hurt some of my game at one point.
“So just tried to let it happen versus trying too hard. I think I’ve been doing a good job of that this year.”
When asked her thoughts on the increasing possibility of making it to the Tour Championship and whether it was something on her mind, Kemp would say.
“All the time. It’s all I want to make. It’s my sponsor’s event, so I want to make it for Terry Duffy. They have been so good to me. I just want to make it so bad for them. Hoping with this finish this will get me in the right direction for that.”
Queensland’s Sarah Jane Smith also had one of he39-year-olds on the LPGA Tour for quite some time when she finished in 13th place, her best finish in five years on the LPGA Tour.
Smith has been playing without full status on the LPGA Tour but took advantage to record a confidence-boosting week for the 39-year-old raised on the Sunshine Coast.
