Stephanie Kyriacou Holds Nerve for Final Round Lead at Evian

Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia heads into the final round of the Evian Championship with a slim one-shot lead, poised to potentially clinch her first major title. In a stellar third round, Kyriacou carded a four-under-par 67, highlighted by seven birdies including a crucial one on the 18th hole, bringing her total to 14 under par. Her ascent to the top came after Japan’s Akaya Furue, who began the day with a two-shot lead, slipped back to share second place with American Lauren Coughlin.

Both are now trailing Kyriacou by a single shot. Meanwhile, Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh, who co-led after the first round, maintained her position at seven under par after posting a second consecutive level par round. She holds a slight edge over England’s Georgia Hall, who recovered admirably from a rocky start, rebounding to shoot a 71. Friday’s play at the Evian Resort Golf Club was interrupted due to hazardous weather conditions, forcing Kyriacou to complete the final two holes of her second round on Saturday morning before commencing her third round.

Reflecting on her performance and the pressure of leading, Kyriacou admitted to feeling nerves down the stretch but credited her caddie for keeping her focused and grounded. “I know it’s Saturday, but you still get nervous,” Kyriacou remarked. “So my caddie kind of just keeps my head screwed on and just said 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.”

As Stephanie Kyriacou prepares for the final round, all eyes are on whether she can maintain her composure and capitalize on her lead to secure a historic victory at the prestigious Evian Championship.