Kelsey Bennett will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Australian Women’s Classic after carding a 70 (-2) on Saturday to move to 12-under par and maintain her slender advantage.
Playing alongside Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab and England’s Meghan MacLaren at Magenta Shores, the Australian got off to an excellent start birdying the par-5 1st to the delight of the home fans in attendance.
Bennett followed this up with a birdie at the 4th before she suffered a series of lip outs through the turn. A matchplay situation with MacLaren soon unfolded from the 13th as the Englishwoman made a stunning birdie to take the outright lead as her counterpart dropped a shot.
Two holes later, another two shot swing as MacLaren was forced to pitch up to the green twice with Bennett two-putting for birdie.
The 26-year-old from New South Wales would par home as MacLaren bogeyed the short par-3 16th before bouncing back with a superb birdie at the 17th.
Just one shot now separates the pair heading into the fourth and final round in Australia. MacLaren’s compatriot, rookie Caley McGinty, also sits one back after carding another bogey-free scorecard, a four-under par 68.
“I had so many chances out there,” Bennett said. “Plenty inside 15-feet early on. I’m super happy with the way I’m hitting it, I just need a few to drop tomorrow.
“I just need to stay in my own lane tomorrow and yeah, just give myself as many chances as possible. It’s literally the only thing you can do.”
Bennett is eyeing a maiden Ladies European Tour (LET) win in her home state after finishing T8 at last week’s Ford Women’s NSW Open. She also finished T12 at the season-opening PIF Saudi Ladies International in Riyadh.
MacLaren meanwhile sits on the brink of a stunning fourth victory Down Under having won this tournament back in 2022 alongside two Ford Women’s NSW Opens in 2018 and 2019. She matched Bennett’s score on day three after “grinding things out” at Magenta Shores Golf and Country Club.
“I didn’t play my best today,” MacLaren said, who earned her full LET status back at Q-School in December. “I played great yesterday and just didn’t quite have it today, but I made a couple of really good pars on those opening few holes, which I think was quite important at the time just to, you know, keep myself in it.
“It’s amazing [to be in this position again]. If I kind of take a step back and have some perspective on it is really cool place to be given how long it’s been – probably three years. Like I was saying yesterday, mindset wise, this is where I want to be, and this is what I expect from myself. Tomorrow’s one day, I don’t know what will happen, but this is what I want to keep doing week in, week out. That’s kind of just how I want to approach the round tomorrow.”
McGinty meanwhile has not dropped a shot since the 14th hole of round one. She followed up yesterday’s brilliant 65 (-7) with a solid 68 (-4) to move into T2 alongside MacLaren.
“It was a good day,” the rookie said. “I was a bit nervous when I started out, I’m not going to lie. So I’m just more proud of how I handled those emotions early on in the round. But yeah, really happy.
“I’m just really enjoying myself. I’m loving the experience of being with the TV cameras, that kind of stuff. It’s all new. So just embracing that and just trying to keep committing to my shots. That’s my only goal.”
Another Englishwoman, three-time LET winner Alice Hewson, holds solo fourth position on nine-under par. Cheenglab and India’s Pranavi Urs share fifth spot with 18 holes remaining on eight-under par.
Italian rookie Roberta Liti fired the round of the day 65 (-7) to shoot up the leaderboard into T7. She sits on seven-under par alongside South Africa’s Casandra Alexander, Slovenia’s Pia Babnik and England’s Lily May Humphreys.
The fourth and final round of the Australian Women’s Classic gets underway tomorrow at 8:22am.
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