THE AMUNDI EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 13, 2024

Stephanie Kyriacou

Evian Resort Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with the solo leader, Stephanie Kyriacou. Steph, you played in this tournament multiple times now. You know your way around a little bit better every year. I think that's showing.

What is it out there that's working so well with you and how are you playing it like this?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: Yeah, I don't know. I think I'm just trying to stay patient. Like you said, the more you play this course the more the figure out the tips and tricks. Like you're never going to get a flat lie, using the slopes on the green, sticking to one shot at a time.

Q. You mentioned you've had some nerves here and there. How do you manage those, especially going into the final round playing in that final group?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: 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.

Q. A little bit outside of the tournament, but I just want to talk about you and all of your Australian friends. I love the relationship you guys have. Every single time one of you win it's always you're the next on the green. How nice is it to have that support out here. It's an individual sport, so how nice is that?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: Yeah, I think it's great. I think also being far away from home, having family and friends back home, so having the support system here and all of your best mates there when you're doing well and when you're not doing so well, yeah it's great. It's really encouraging.

Q. Game plan going into Sunday?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: Same as the last three days: One shot at a time. Try not to get ahead of myself. Obviously I know I'm in the lead, so that's nice. Yeah, being in contention on Sunday is not something -- I don't think I've been in contention in a major before, so it's exciting.

Q. Steph, overall to come off the green as the clubhouse leader going into this final day, how are you feeling after a very long third day here at Evian?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: Yeah, I'm very excited to sleep. I can say that. Yeah, it was a great day. Definitely a long day, but lots of good things happened. Good momentum into tomorrow, so, yeah, after a good sleep I think I'll be ready.

Q. What did you do after today's second round, quote-unquote, before heading out for the third round?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: I went back and had a nap. I had like four hours to my tee time, so went home, 30 minute timer, strolled back here, and went again.

Q. For you, you talked a little bit about this morning but also being able to handle the nerves, maybe the expectation of being in contention. What do you do out there? Do you lean on your caddie? Is there something that you both talk about or just something that makes you calmer out there when you're in these big moments?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: Yeah, I think just staying like in the moment and taking it one hole, one shot at a time. I kind of have like a mantra that works for me. I probably shouldn't say it.

Q. Okay.

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: 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.

Q. How many holes did you play today, Steph?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: 19 and a half. Yeah, so I was fine. I was fine. People had longer days than me. Still.

Q. And are you from a Sydney or near Sydney?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: I'm from Sydney. Like southeast Sydney.

Q. Suburb?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: Like Coogee, like 20 minutes south of Bondi.

Q. And it's the walk, isn't it?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: Yeah, that's where the walk ends.

Q. For me, a little bit more about this third round here. What did you do after resetting after that first hole? Did you look back? Say that mantra to your caddie?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: Yes. I didn't even play the hole bad. Just three-putted. Yeah, he kind of said, you're in contention in a major. Go out there and enjoy it and embrace being here. It's something you practiced for. There is nothing to be afraid of. If you don't win, you don't win. You go to the next one and try.

Q. What were some of the highlights out there when it came to the birdies you were able to produce?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: I think I boxed a couple long putts, which is like a nice little momentum starter. Yeah, hit a couple great shots. Took the opportunities when I did. Also saved a couple good par putts.

Putting towards the end did kind of fall off a little bit, so... but other than that, it was, yeah, really good day. Really enjoyed it.

Q. Walk me through some of those clutch par saves. Obviously we can talk about the highlights, the birdies. What par save really stands out to you?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: I think the one on 13, 14. 14 was kind of like I hit a really bad first putt; left it like five foot short from 20 feet, but then I holed the next one, a little downhill slider.

So being able to hole that, that kind of like kept it going. Missing that late on in the round, you know, I don't know what it would've done to me. Yeah, probably an important one.

Q. Just in general getting to this 18 here, a couple of tied they top. You were able to get at that birdie to close it out with out clubhouse lead. What was the mindset on the closing hole?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: I mean, I had like quite a short distance in, so I was going to go for it regardless if I hit the fairway. Yeah, just played it like the last two days. I mean, nothing out of ordinary.

If I made birdie, great. If not, I have 18 more holes. Wasn't really stressful.

Q. You've won before. You have that winning experience. Is that something that maybe tomorrow you think you'll draw on? When you go to sleep tonight, wake up tomorrow morning, what are some of the things you'll think about?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: I'm not sure. I mean, obviously I want to win; so do the other girls. But I think for myself personally, when I like want something too much I kind of start to like try and force things.

Probably going to stay back a bit from that. You know, that seems to work for me. I'm very chatty on the course and stuff, so just staying like how I play my best and not trying to like do things just because of the situation I'm in.

Q. Being in contention at a major can obviously bring, like you talked, about the nerves, that pressure. When do you think is the last time you've maybe felt this way on the golf course?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: I can't remember. That's probably not a good thing. I think this is a different kind of nerves. I think sometimes when you're near the cut line you really want to make the cut, there is like a few thoughts there.

This is like a completely different, like physical -- things like you're heart rate goes up. You get a little bit numb. At least I do. Yeah, so I think it's a different kind of nerves. It's a good thing. It's a good thing to experience.

Q. You're one of those players I think we've seen on tour a lot that expresses themselves very personable. I think it helps you kind of stay in the -- really? Really helps you stay in the moment. How much does that help you being able to kind of draw on the fact that you can be yourself out there and still have that incredible rounds of golf?

STEPHANIE KYRIACOU: Yeah, I think I just try to remember that I'm like a good person and I'm -- you know, like who I am before, what my golf looks like for me. Sometimes I struggle with that. I'm sure a lot of other athletes do as well.

Yeah, as long as I remember that and that's more important to me than -- I don't know, just kind of cruise through it.