Golf: Kemp enters new waters at NZ women's open

Sarah Kemp has never led into the final round of a professional golf tournament before, but the 24-year-old Australian is keenly awaiting the challenge in the final round of the women's New Zealand Open tomorrow, even if she is being stalked by one of the legends of the game in England's Laura Davies.

After a day third round the field was almost brought to its knees by a strong winds, Kemp is six-under par on 210, after shooting a two-over 74 today. That leaves her one clear of Davies, who carded 71, with a further shot to Wales' Becky Brewerton.

Considering that American Diana D'Alessio led the field through two rounds at nine under, the strength of the wind, which grew as the day progressed, turned a pleasant morning stroll into a battle for survival. Only 16 players bettered par today, almost all with early morning starts.

Kemp is better equipped than most to handle coastal windy conditions, having learned her game at the New South Wales Golf Club but even she struggled in today's buffeting conditions.

"I didn't think I kept my focus at all well and didn't feel if I played well, but I hung in there for my two over," Kemp said.

Kemp found the wind affected her putting most.

"I would stand over the ball and it would start to shake. It was causing me to change my routine and I shouldn't have done that. I just have to stand over the ball and be confident."

Kemp had to be mentally strong to keep from being affected by the woes of her playing companions. Overnight leader D'Alessio dropped seven shots in six holes - between the 12th and 17th - in her round of 79 while South African Ashleigh Simon dropped eight shots between the 11th and 16th in her 78.

"I'm heading to the putting green for 20 minutes just to hear the ball dropping into the cup. It will be easy to wipe out today and concentrate on tomorrow," Kemp said.

Whereas tomorrow is new ground for Kemp, it is not the case for Davies, who is in good touch after three weeks in Australia and one in Thailand as preparation for this tournament.

"I started off well with four birdies and two three-putt bogeys, which was disappointing, and was cruising, but we turned into the wind on the eighth and it was a different ball game," Davies said.

"I was swinging pretty well to be honest, but just had to concentrate on making pars, but even that was difficult."

To show the magnitude of the wind, Davies hit an eight iron 211m through the green on the 18th, while on the 475m par-five 16th she hit driver, three iron, three iron compared with driver, four iron, sand iron the day before.

"Hopefully it will be a fine day tomorrow and the good crowds will be able to see players shooting birdies, not just surviving," she said.

Heading the New Zealand charge is Wellington's Sarah Nicholson and 12-year-old amateur Lydia Ko on one-under 215 and in a tie for 11th after rounds of 74 and 71 respectively. Cecilia Cho, the third New Zealander to survive the cut, shot a 76 and is tied for 44th.