Sarah Kemp – image Getty / LPGA
NSW golfer Sarah Kemp has seemingly built off her performance as one of the Australian team which finished runner-up at the International Crown team last week, to share the lead at the halfway mark of the LPGA’s Cognizant Founders Cup in Clifton, New Jersey.
Kemp, who has yet to win on the LPGA Tour and whose best finish to date on that was when runner-up at the 2019 Vic Open, might well have held the outright lead but for a bogey at the 16th hole but her round of 65 has she and former world number one Jin Young Ko ahead by one over Minjee Lee, Aditi Ashok and Hae Ran Ryu.
Kemp’s best finish in an LPGA Tour event in the US was when 4th at the Pure Silk Championship two years ago but she has been playing much better of late.
“I’m sure I’ll go to bed and think about it naturally, and I think I’ll be pretty excited for tomorrow,” said Kemp. “Maybe try and calm my excitement down. Being co-leader going into Saturday at an LPGA event is pretty cool, right?
“So if I can just play it down a little bit and just manage my excitement. Although that’s a really good thing and I think there would be something wrong if I wasn’t excited, but I think I can get a little bit too hyped.”
Kemp was asked if she allows herself to wonder if this or any week could be the week for the breakthrough.
“Yeah, I think about it every week. You know, is this going to be the week. But it’s such a small percent that you win, right? Everyone’s win percentage is real small.
“So, I think if I can just keep doing what I’m doing right now, maybe I’ll get close soon.”
The defending champion, Minjee Lee, would also bogey the 16th to cost herself a share of the lead but she is happy to have started the way she has after a relatively light schedule to date in 2023.
“I actually haven’t really been thinking too much about the defending champion bit, but I mean, I just wanted to have two good rounds to start the week, and I’m in a good position for the weekend. I’m just going to stick to my game plan, hit good drives, hit good shots into the greens, and hit good putts. That’s all that I can control.
“It’s definitely a ball striker’s golf course, so obviously fairways, greens, and the greens are getting a little firmer now, so a two-putt is good and one-putt is a bonus right now. Yeah, I just feel like I was pretty solid all day.
“I think I was rushing a little bit because we were on the clock the last couple of holes, but other than that, I feel pretty good.”
Karis Davidson and Grace Kim are the next best of the Australians, the pair in a share of 22nd place and five shots from the lead, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko 38th but for recent winner, Hannah Green, it was a missed cut.
