Feb1 LadiesWebb

Sarah Kemp shot a 6-under 66 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead over fellow Australians Karrie Webb and Nikki Campbell at the Women’s Australian Open.

Coming off a resurgent 2006 in which won five tournaments on the LPGA Tour, including her second Kraft Nabisco Championship, Webb eagled the par-5 16th – her second eagle of the day – to pull within a stroke of Kemp.

But Webb missed an 11-foot birdie putt on 18 that would have put her into a tie for the lead. She is attempting to win her third Australian Open title.

Kemp, 21, is a regular on the Ladies European Tour, which is co-sanctioning the event at Royal Sydney. Playing the back nine first where she finished 2-under 34, she birdied the first, second, fourth and fifth holes to start her final nine.

Kemp is often compared with Webb as the next star Australian golfer. “It’s a compliment,” Kemp said. “It’s flattering that people could think that. But there’s no pressure. What happens, happens. I’ll just go out there and play my game.”

Campbell, who earned more than $400,000 on the Japanese tour last year, had a 7-under 29 on her first nine holes. But bogeys on the third and ninth holes gave her a 2-over 38 on her final nine for a 67.

“It was a dream nine holes,” Campbell said. “Putts went in, I hit it straight, it all seemed to fall into place and before I knew it I was 7 under. “I was a bit nervous (on the last nine) because obviously you don’t do that every day.”

Wei Yun-jye of Taiwan shot a 68 and is alone in fourth. Amy Yang, an Australian-based South Korean who won last year’s ANZ Australian Ladies Masters, is tied with two others at 69, three shots back.

World Match Play Championship winner Brittany Lincicome of the United States had a 70 and is tied for ninth. Laura Davies of Britain, who won the Australian Open when it was last played in 2004, shot a 73.