Great Week For Sarah Kemp in Orlando
Sarah Kemp – file photo Bruce Young
35 year old New South Wales golfer, Sarah Kemp, has produced her second best-ever result on the LPGA Tour when finishing runner-up at the Gainbridge LPGA Tour event at the Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando.
Kemp, whose best had been when runner-up at the 2019 Women’s Australian Open over two years ago, birdied two of her final three holes in today’s final round to finish tied for 5th in her first event of the 2021 LPGA Tour season.
Beginning the final round in 11th place, Kemp took some time for the round to build momentum but over the final ten holes she produced five birdies and two bogeys for her round of 69 after playing some outstanding golf for much of the week.
Kemp spent time in Australia during the off-season including time in quarantine but this is an encouraging start to the season as she looks to consolidate her standing on the LPGA Tour.
Kemp finished five shots behind the winner and the current 4th ranked player in the world, Nelly Korda, who is likely to move into the 3rd position with this win. She also earns a cheque for US$75,000.
In the opening event of the season in January, Korda finished 3rd behind her sister Jessica, both sisters former Women’s Australian Open champions.
For Korda it was her 4th LPGA Tour title but her first on home soil, having won in Australia and Taiwan (twice) previously.
Tied for 2nd place were American Lexi Thompson and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko who finished three behind Korda.
Ko continues her return to the game that saw her as one of the dominant figures on the LPGA Tour four years ago, this her 5th top ten in her last six starts after switching to coach Sean Foley in early 2020.
Victorian, Gabi Ruffels, in her very first event as a professional, made the cut and finished 36th to get her career underway.
