Sarah Kemp: 2008 USLPGA Rookie?

BY Liz White | 24 Dec 2007

There’s just one request in Sarah Kemp’s letter to Santa this year – the 2008 USLPGA Rookie Award.

Fresh from earning her LPGA Tour card through the gruelling Q-School earlier this month, Rookie of the Year is a title that Kemp believes she can achieve if she just stays positive.

“I would love to win it,” she said. I was happy with the way I played on the European Tour this year; I was more consistent, so I am going to take those thoughts with me for next year.”

While the 22-year-old Sydneysider didn’t accomplish her stated goal of winning on the LET this year, six top ten finishes left her quite content.

“I finished similarly on the money list but I made more cuts so that was really good,” she said.

“It was also a lot easier this year. Last year I travelled with some other Aussie girls and we were all rookies, we would get to the airport we would say: ‘Where do we go?’ and it would take us three hours to get to our hotel when it was only fifteen minutes away – I mean those things can play on your golf and just being able to know where to go made playing golf easier.”

Kemp has decided to forego the European Tour in 2008 to concentrate solely on the lucrative US tour.

“I want to devote all my time there, it’s the biggest there is and I am really nervous about it, but those are good nerves,” she said. “It’s also easier to qualify for the British Open from the US Tour.”

Kemp will also be working hard to ensure she doesn’t have to go through the US qualifying school ever again.

“It really is – I can’t stress enough – the week from hell,” she said.

“Because I was so close I was always in the bubble for each day and it is a long five days. I was tired and basically you finish and you go home and it is hard not to think about it because it decides your whole next year.”

Kemp started the 90 hole tournament at Daytona Beach, Florida, with a solid one under round of 71 and was able to back it up with a two under round of 70 to be tied 10th on three under after two days. With only 17 spots up for grabs, things were going well until day three.

A two over round of 74 pushed her down the ladder into T26th position and the pressure was on.

“I finished playing the fourth round even and I was then tied in 22nd spot, so I knew I was in with a real chance but after six holes on day five I was two over and I started to freak out,” she said.

A solid birdie on the ninth steadied the ship however it was a glorious final four holes that put Kemp on course to a coveted USLPGA Tour card.

“The last four holes it just felt like I was on auto pilot I hit these incredible shots, but then I started to get really nervous,” she said.

“On the 18th I hit a good tee shot and all I wanted to do was get on the green and I knew that would be enough. I put my second, a six iron, to within eight feet and after I hit that shot I just thought: ‘Oh my God,’ I could have started crying.”

“I don’t know how but the putt went in and then I just signed my card. I held it for like five minutes just making sure everything was right, and then I called my mum and I just lost it. I was so tired and just mentally and physically drained.”

Kemp was only one of 10 Australians to succeed at Q-School this year, but others, including Anna Rawson and first timer Sarah Oh, have received conditional status for 2008. Kemp is still on a high from her success and can’t believe she is living her dream which started when she was 15.

“I got my handicap down to scratch and did well in the NSW Junior Open, so it was then that I knew I wanted to play professionally,” she said. “I spoke to a few people and they suggested the AIS and that’s where I headed.”

Sarah’s junior career was littered with several major prizes, including the 2003 Australian Junior Amateur Championship, Runner Up in the 2004 Australian Amateur Championships and twice winner of the Australian 72-hole Stroke Play. After winning this title in 2005 a pro life became a reality.

It was a big call given her dislike of airplanes.

“I just don’t like flying, it’s hard to explain but fortunately it’s not that bad that it would stop me from travelling.”

This is just as well. Kemp’s gritty tale of Q school survival shows real determination and desire and that can only lead to just one thing – more planes.