Australia’s Steph Kyriacou is tied second as she chases a maiden LPGA Tour title but she faces a big task to overhaul Swedish leader Linn Grant at the Dana Open in Ohio.

The 22-year-old Sydneysider made eight birdies in a six-under 65 third round to surge up the leaderboard at Highland Meadows on Saturday, on track for her best result on the tour.

Accomplished fellow Australian Minjee Lee is just a shot further back after a 67.

Kyriacou shares second spot with new US Women’s Open champion Allisen Corpuz (68), Italy’s Maria Fassi (67), Finland’s Matilda Castren (67) and Denmark’s Emily Pedersen (67). But Grant goes into the final round with a six-shot lead at 18 under after just missing her chance to become the second LPGA Tour player to break 60.

Nine under on her first 13 holes, 24-year-old Grant played the final five in even par for a  62. Fellow Swede Annika Sorenstam is the lone LPGA Tour player to shoot 59, accomplishing the feat in the 2001 Standard Register Ping at par-72 Moon Valley in Phoenix.

“There was a spectator who called it out in my face,” Grant said when asked if she thought about a 59. “He just came up to me and he said, ‘Do you think you have a 59 in you?’ And then all of a sudden I was like, ‘Oh, God.’ So, I just tried to just not focus on it at all.”

Seeking her first LPGA Tour victory, the 24-year-old Grant won the Jabra Ladies Open in May in France for her fifth Ladies European Tour title in two seasons. Grant opened with a par Saturday and birdied the next four. After a rain delay of three hours, 48 minutes, she resumed play on No. 8 and added a birdie on No. 9 for a front-nine 29.

Grant holed out a full shot from the fairway for eagle on the par-4 11th and birdied Nos. 12 and 13.

Needing to play the final five in three under for a 59, the former Arizona State player parred the next two, bogeyed the par-4 16th, birdied the par-5 17th and parred the par-5 18th.

Corpuz won the US Women’s Open a week ago at Pebble Beach for her first tour title. She played alongside Grant and second-round leader Annie Park in the final group.

“Linn absolutely lit it up today,” Corpuz said. “I’m hoping the best for her tomorrow. I mean, no one’s going to catch up if she plays the way she did today.”

with AAP