Sarah Kemp rolled her final putt of the day straight up the hill and towards the hole at the closing par four 18th hole, where the ball just managed to catch the ridge edge and drop into the cup. The devoted fans who have turned out all week at Old American Golf Club to watch The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America erupted in applause and cheers as Kemp's putt curled into the hole.
But the Aussie wanted to give the fans one last reason to cheer. So, she threw her ball high into the air, hoping it might reach those watching from the grandstands behind the 18th green, but the excitement and adrenaline of the moment sent the ball flying a bit too high from reaching her intended target.
"The crowds have been awesome. I got a bit of a big cheer, and I thought I'll try and make them cheer even louder, so just turned around and tried to throw it in the crowd," Kemp said about the scene of throwing her ball towards the stands on the 18th green. "I don't think it made it."
While Kemp's effort to thank her fans came up a bit short, she was happy that she was able to make the critical par save on her final hole of the day. It was one of several she rolled in on Saturday during what was a cool and windy day that challenged players' patience as much as their game. Kemp managed a round of two-under-par 69 that put her in a share of second and five strokes back of 54-hole leader Hyo Joo Kim.
"The wind was a lot stronger when we tee'd off, so my caddie and I had a talk and we knew pars was going to be a good score for a while, so just really stayed patient, accepting that bogeys were going to be okay," Kemp said about the 15 mph winds throughout the morning. "You really had to keep the ball low for the first few for sure. Yeah, hole some probably inside ten feet for par was really crucial today."
Her big par save on 18 wasn't the only thrill she gave fans on Saturday. She also made an eagle at the par-four 15th hole, which the tournament officials made reachable for moving day. Kemp debated between hitting a 3-wood or a driver and opted to go with the driver despite going downwind, knowing she would also have to navigate a downslope.
"It is a smart thing to do, I thought," Kemp said about the 15th hole. "Just happened to play it perfectly. Got a great bounce from the front of the green and I had, what, maybe five feet for eagle, so that was awesome."
That eagle would prove to be the difference maker that would get her into red figures, as she had five bogeys and five birdies on the day. And although she hit her fewest number of fairways and greens on Saturday, she also had her fewest number of putts and needed only 23.
The Aussie knows she'll need another low round if she wants to try and chase down Kim on the final day in Texas. But Kim's weakness this season has been in final-round scoring, which could present an opportunity for Kemp, who is playing for much more than just a first victory come Sunday.
Currently positioned at No. 72 in the Race to the CME Globe Standings Kemp is well inside the top 100 to secure her card for next season. However, she's just outside the top 60 in the standings who will qualify for the CME Group Tour Championship and getting back in the field for the first time since 2020 has become a top priority.
"It's all I'm thinking about, to be honest with you. I'm in a really nice position this year. I've pretty much locked up my card and I'm fighting for CME," Kemp admitted after her round on Saturday.
"It's my sponsor's event. I want to make it for Terry Duffy and myself. That's all I think about."
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