Sarah Kemp of Australia shot a 74 in windy conditions to lead the New Zealand Women's Open by one shot after three rounds Saturday.
Kemp was at 6-under 210, while former U.S. Open champion Laura Davies was in second after a 71. Davies was one of only 15 players to shoot a sub-par round as strong winds swept the Pegasus course.
Becky Brewerton of Wales was in third place after a 71, two behind. Four players, including first-round leader Marianne Skarpnord (75) of Norway, were tied for fourth, three shots back.
Diana D'Alessio of the United States, who led by a stroke after the second round, shot 79 and was four strokes behind.
Davies said she's in good form after three weeks in Australia and one in Thailand as preparation for the tournament.
``I started off well with four birdies and two three-putt bogeys, which was disappointing, and was cruising, but we turned into the wind on the eighth and it was a different ballgame,'' Davies said.
She hit an 8-iron with the wind 230 yards and over the green on the 18th.
Into the wind on the 525-yard par-5 16th, she hit driver, 3-iron, 3-iron compared with driver, 4-iron and sand wedge the day before.
``Hopefully it will be a fine day tomorrow and the good crowds will be able to see players shooting birdies, not just surviving,'' she said.
