Casandra Alexander made just two pars in her first 12 holes on Saturday as she endured a real roller-coaster in the third round of the Ladies European Tour’s Australian Women’s Classic at Magenta Shores, north of Sydney.

She also made five birdies, two bogeys, and – more damagingly – two double-bogeys as she headed for the 13th tee. She picked up two birdies to restore things to level-par for the round on the 15th and 17th, but she dropped another shot on the final hole as she carded a one-over-par 73.

That dropped her to a share of seventh on seven-under-par through 54 holes. She was five strokes off the lead, while Caitlyn Macnab also carded a third round of one-over-par to drop to one-under for the tournament and a share of 33rd.

Kelsey Bennett will take a one-shot lead into the final round after carding a two-under 70 to move to 12-under-par and maintain a slender one-stroke lead. Meghan MacLaren, who had a two-under 70, and her England compatriot, rookie Caley McGinty, were one back after carding another bogey-free round, a four-under par 68.

Bennett is eyeing a maiden LET win in her home state after finishing T8 at last week’s Ford Women’s NSW Open. She also finished T12 at the season-opening PIF Saudi Ladies International in Riyadh. MacLaren meanwhile sits on the brink of a stunning fourth victory Down Under having won this tournament back in 2022 alongside two Ford Women’s NSW Opens in 2018 and 2019.