The low round of her career has put Aussie veteran Sarah Kemp in position to complete a fairytale comeback at the Australian Women’s Classic at Coffs Harbour.

Kemp’s 8-under 62 is not only a new benchmark for the West Lakes course at Coffs Harbour Golf Club but is the lowest total of her career on either the Ladies European Tour or LPGA Tour.

Her previous low score was 63 in Round 2 of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in 2009, Saturday’s stunning round putting Kemp in line for the biggest win of her career just seven months after suffering a career-threatening injury.

It was in July that the 39-year-old suffered a compound fracture of her lower right leg in a golf cart accident. She will now take a two-shot lead into Sunday’s final round of a tournament co-sanctioned by the WPGA Tour of Australasia and the LET.

Seventh on the WPGA Tour of Australasia career prize money list with 12 wins on her home tour, Kemp is still without a victory on either the LET or LPGA tours.

That can all change on Sunday after a round that she was scarcely able to believe.

“This has all been a laugh,” said Kemp, whose previous low round in a Ladies European Tour event was 65 at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France in 2018.

“This whole day is just, I mean, I’d make birdie after birdie and just like, I can’t believe it. This is such a shock.”

Finishing 20 minutes after Kemp in the morning wave, two-time Belgian Olympian Manon De Roey shot 7-under 63 to share second at 8-under par with Welsh rookie Darcey Harry (68), one clear of 17-year-old Thai phenom Cholcheva Wongras (64) and Swede Moa Folke (69).

Kemp played 18 holes for the first time since her injury in January and has had just one competitive outing, a 54-hole NXXT Golf event in Florida last month.

As she moved to 5-under on her round with a birdie at the par-4 11th, competitive juices began flowing again.

“Got some butterflies out there when I knew that I was doing OK in terms of the leaderboard. Having that again was really lovely,” said Kemp, whose last WPGA Tour win came at the 2019 Moss Vale Pro-Am.

“It was nice to see all that and go through the feels again. Get the butterflies, get the nervousness, that was awesome.

“It’s proved to me that I obviously can still play, which is really nice.

“This is a proper tour event, Ladies European Tour, and in my home country in front of my home fans.

“Being able to prove myself that I’ve still got it under those conditions means the most.”

De Roey is a two-time LET winner and no stranger to Australia, winning the Moss Vale Pro-Am a year after Kemp.

She will rejoin the LPGA Tour in 2025 after finishing second on the LET Order of Merit last year and is staying with a family in nearby Sawtell for the sixth straight year.

“I love coming to Coffs. I have so many memories here and in Australia in general,” said De Roey, who had seven birdies in a bogey-free round on Saturday.

“I stay in Sawtell with a host family and it’s great. They’re super nice people and so I feel a bit home away from home.”

De Roey was 2-under on her round through 10 holes but, sparked by a birdie at the par-4 11th, roared into contention with a run of four consecutive birdies from the par-4 13th.

Effectively stranded in Coffs en route to the cancelled Australian WPGA Championship, Wongras was one of very few players who got to play the golf course before it was closed last Thursday.

It gave her something of an edge over those who went into Round 1 somewhat blind.

“Because I played the course and I could see some of the holes, that’s helped,” said Wongras, who turns 18 next Wednesday.

Winner of the Order of Merit on the Thai LPGA Tour in 2024, a win in Coffs Harbour would give Wongras not only status on the LET, but starts in at least two major championships this year.

“There’s always going to be nerves, it’s more about how to cope with it,” added Wongras, who had two wins and two runner-up finishes in a five-event stretch on the Thai LPGA last year.

“You can’t say you’re not going to feel nervous or anything, but honestly, just trying to have fun out there.

“It’s golf, nothing you can do. It just happens.”

It’s a unique opportunity, too, for Harry in just her second start on the LET.

The 20-year-old caused something of a shock when she finished second at LET Qualifying School in December and now finds herself within reach of a life-changing victory.

“I definitely think I played better than I scored,” said Harry.

“It’s a bit disappointing, but then again, it’s looking forward to going into tomorrow and again, do the same as I’ve done the past two days.

“I’m really excited. If you told me last year that I’d be here now, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.

“It’s all exciting and just taking it all in and enjoying it.”

Aussie LPGA star Grace Kim endured a difficult day in Round 2, falling to a share of 16th at 2-under par with a round of 2-over 74.

Rhianna Lewis is the next best of the Australians at even par, Kirsten Rudgeley (70), Stephanie Bunque (73) and Kelsey Bennett (75) all at 1-over.

A total of 76 players finished inside the cut-line of 4-over.

Credit: Tristan Jones/LET