Bennett is set to start a round at the top for the second day in a row having reached 12-under-par despite a frustrating day on the New South Wales Central Coast due to an ice cold putter that, had it behaved, would have given her a significant advantage over Meghan MacLaren and Caley McGinty, as well as the chasing pack.
 
Starting her day with a birdie at the par-5 first, last week’s nerves and anxiety when trying to claim a first LET title appeared a thing of the past for Bennett, who added another birdie at the fourth hole before her story became one of missed opportunities despite her stellar driving and iron play.
 
“It was a really solid day. Just, didn't have many drop, unfortunately,” Bennett’s described her Saturday round of 2-under 70.
 
“I had so many chances out there. Plenty inside 15 feet early on. I'm super happy with the way I'm hitting it. Just need a few to drop tomorrow.”
 
The putts that didn’t drop did everything but, with lip outs and dying on the edge of the hole a common thread for the 26-year-old from Mollymook who was headed for practice putting green after play to recalibrate ahead of the final round on Sunday.
 
Making just one bogey on the day, at the par-3 13th, Bennett recovered the dropped shot two holes later and parred her way in to maintain pole position and confident she will feel more comfortable in the spotlight on Sunday than she did last week at Wollongong.
 
“Today, I definitely did not feel as funky as I did in the last round last week. And I think I'll be all right tomorrow too. I'm feeling good. Obviously I was in that position last week, so it's a bit more comfortable now,” she said while again paying tribute to the work of her caddie Michael Baines.
 
“He (Baines) just calmed me down a fair bit because I was sort of getting a bit like anxious about it and he's like ‘you know, well at least we've got these chances, just keep giving yourself chances what we can do’.”
 

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Also praising the work of her looper, McGinty is the unproven performer of the final group in just her second year as a professional and rookie season on the LET after a year on the LPGA Tour last year.
 
Employing LPGA caddying veteran Audrey Gerdes, a two-time major winner with Sherri Steinhauer, McGinty has impressed everyone on site at Magenta Shores this week, both with her ball striking and an attitude towards the game assisted by her off course activities.
 
“I love Australia. Australia's so fun. I had no idea what to expect when I was coming here because the other tournaments last year, my first year as a pro, I didn't really get out and about and explore. My mission this year was to enjoy outside of the golf course more,” McGinty said.
 
“I think it's made me appreciate how much I love my job as a professional golfer.”
 
Appreciating Gerdes’ experience during her first time in the heat of battle for a title as a professional, McGinty went bogey-free for the second day in her round of 68, with the 25-year-old’s last dropped shot of the week coming on the 14th hole during Round 1.
 
Her ability to keep blemishes off the scorecard. mixed with taking advantage of the scoring holes, earning her more time in the spotlight and a group she is greatly looking forward to.
 
“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,” McGinty said.
 
“I think it's great for Kelsey, and for Australia, for her to be playing so well … And I always looked up to Meg growing up … So I'm just excited to play with them.”
 
For MacLaren, a three-time winner in Australia, including this event, previous experience and having been there and done that feels like less of an advantage given no more than two years ago at the same venue she was in tears over the state of her game.
 
Rebuilding with coach Shane Rose, and back with full status after returning to LET Qualifying School last year, MacLaren is enjoying the return of nerves and pressure of competing for a title, which she will do after a grinding 70 that briefly gave her the lead before bogeys at 15 and 16.
 
“I think if I kind of take a step back and have some perspective on it, it is a really, really cool place to be given, I mean, I don't know how long it's been, probably three years, I'd guess, since I've been in a similar situation,” MacLaren said.
 
“I was saying yesterday, mindset wise, this is where I want to be, and this is what I expect from myself. So tomorrow's one day, I don't know what will happen, but this is what I want to keep doing week in, week out. So that's kind of just how I want to approach the round tomorrow.”
 
Not necessarily believing her experience and past victories will give her a significant advantage over Bennett and McGinty, MacLaren and her caddie, father David, will have no shortage of conversation topics on Sunday after they watch their beloved Newcastle United early in the morning.
 
“That was my motivation for today to have a late tee time so I can watch Newcastle (United) play against Man City again for the 500th time this season. It'd be nice to have something else to think about, to be honest,” she joked.
 
Beyond the leading trio, another Englishwoman, Alice Hewson, lies in solo fourth and three shots back of Bennett after a bogey at 18 left her 9-under for the tournament, with India’s Pranavi Urs and Thai Trichat Cheenglab a shot further back.
 
The chasing pack perhaps hoping the predicted Sunday wind and rain wreaks havoc on the missions of Bennett hoping to hole more putts, McGinty attempting to enjoy a new experience and MacLaren looking to relive an old one.