Stephanie Kyriacou will take a one-shot lead into the final day of the Evian Championship after advice from her caddie and a four-letter mantra helped her overcome a touch of nerves.
The Australian shot a third-round, four-under-par 67 on Saturday on a busy day at the women’s golf Major with Kyriacou two shots behind Japan’s Ayaka Furue in a tie for second after the completion of the second round in the morning.
Play on Friday had to be suspended due to dangerous weather conditions.
In the afternoon Kyriacou, who only had two holes to complete from the second round, added a 67 to her brace of 66s to go 14 under for the tournament, one shot clear of Furue and Lauren Coughlin of the United States.
Kyriacou, who took a quick nap before setting off on her third round, is chasing her first Major title.
And she admitted to a touch of nerves during the tournament.
“That’s what my caddie is for. Coming down the stretch here, I know it’s Saturday, but you still get nervous. So he kind of just keep my head screwed on and just said like I’m still playing golf. It’s the same as playing a practice round, the same as yesterday. So just trying to keep that perspective.”
She continued: “I think just staying in the moment and taking it one hole, one shot at a time. I kind of have a mantra that works for me. I probably shouldn’t say it.
“It has swear words in it. Basically if you didn’t give a crap about everything else, how would you play this. Along those lines. Yeah, that kind of gets me through it.”
Coughlin was beaming after her third-round 65 featured eagles on the par-five 9th and 18th.
Third in the Chevron, another of the tour’s five Majors, Coughlin said: “This will be my first final group on a Sunday.
“Yeah, I think everything I’ve been working on has been leading me to this. My whole team has been helping.”
She added: “With the rain yesterday [Friday] the greens were pretty soft so I could still feel like I could fire away overall, but still had to pick and chose when.
“I’ve just been hitting the ball extremely well all week, so I – yesterday and kind of this morning I just didn’t really make all that much, and today they started to go in again.”
Furue said her shot-making was not as good as the first two days.
“But I had huge par saves today so that was kind of good for me,” she noted.
“Steph made a lot of birdies today, and otherwise I couldn’t get any like birdie chances today. So that was a little bit frustrating.”
The Japanese player, who has been a model of consistency this season in securing eight top-10 finishes in 16 tournaments, revealed how she was going to prepare for Sunday’s pressure finish.
“Just go out for dinner and resting, because today was really long day for me. So just chilling out here in Evian.”
Thai Pajaree Anannarukarn was a further three shots off the pace in fourth.
“I actually played 24 holes today, so it was a long day. But I think I played some really good golf, especially the third round, as well as the morning.
“So really pleased with how I played overall and hopefully keep this momentum going to tomorrow.”
Her compatriot, Patty Tavatanakit, in a share of second, two shots off the lead after the second round, signed for a 72 and a three-way tie for fifth place one shot further back.
South Africa’s Paula Reto shared 22nd position on five under after carding 68.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
