Aussie LPGA star Grace Kim has shaken off the rust built up over an off-season in the gym to sit two strokes off the lead after Round 1 of the Australian Women’s Classic at Coffs Harbour Golf Club.
Course Superintendent Matt Duff and his team turned almost 300mm of water into a playable par-70 layout in time for the first groups on Friday, with Welsh rookie Darcey Harry, Swede Moa Folke and Austrian Olympian Emma Spitz sharing the new course record of 6-under 64 at day’s end.
Co-sanctioned by the WPGA Tour of Australasia and the Ladies European Tour, the leaderboard was dominated by international flags, until Kim and Kelsey Bennett charged home.
Paired together, Kim and 2025 LET rookie Bennett both picked up two shots over the final three holes to lead the Aussie contingent into Round 2, just two shots back after rounds of 4-under 66.
Two other Australians, Sarah Kemp and Stephanie Bunque, are two shots further back in an eight-way tie for 10th after rounds of 2-under 70 playing in the same group on an afternoon buffeted by blustery winds.
Disappointed with her performances in her first two events of the 2025 LPGA Tour season in Asia, Kim spent last week in Sydney with coach Khan Pullen trying to make up for lost time.
The pair invested much of her pre-season advancing her physical fitness, with the 24-year-old conceding she began her season short on golf preparation.
“I was pretty disappointed with how I started my season in Asia, but at the same time, I did start probably about two weeks too late,” said Kim.
“You have to make sure you balance it well and prepare mentally that your golf’s not going to be as sharp as you want it to be.
“I definitely felt more comfortable out there and it’s nice to know the ball is going where it feels like it should be going.”
Bennett is also feeling comfortable in her first start as a full member of the LET.
A winner on the LET’s secondary Access Series last year, the 25-year-old admitted playing a European event in her home state of New South Wales is an opportunity she wants to take full advantage of.
“It makes a massive difference,” Bennett said of playing LET events in Australia.
“I have my family here this week and I’m staying in a place I’ve stayed at before.
“It’s really weird seeing the overseas girls in my home country. My car is in the car park and they’re all here.
“It all adds up to if you’re comfortable out there, anything’s possible.”
Kim began her round with four-straight pars, but picked up three birdies in five holes to be 3-under at the turn.
A second shot which went long and left led to a bogey at the par-4 13th, but she dragged herself back into contention with two late birdies at 16 and 17.
It was an eagle on 17 which elevated Bennett’s round significantly.
A superb 3-wood from the middle of the fairway landed on the front of the green before finishing pin-high 25 feet left of the flag, with the 26-year-old guiding the putt in expertly despite a disrupted preparation.
Two of the shots of the day came from Malaysia’s Winnie Ng (74) and Japan’s Hinata Ikeba (69).
Ng holed her second shot of the day for eagle at the par-4 10th, while Ikeba holed out with her final shot of Round 1 for eagle at the par-4 ninth.
Harry is making just her second LET start after earning her card at Qualifying School in December, while Folke has seven top-10 finishes in three seasons on tour.
Tied for eighth last start at the PIF Saudi Ladies International, Spitz had four top-10s last season, including a playoff defeat at the Amundi German Masters, and is currently ranked No.168 on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking.
Round 2 tees off at 7:30am on Saturday morning, with live television coverage on Fox Sports and Kayo from 11am-4pm.
The Australian Women’s Classic is proudly supported by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Related Articles
Kim Set to Headline Australian Women's Classic
Kemp surges to Classic lead with career-best round
