Only a few people were aware of a 19-year-old at the 2020 Australian Ladies Classic. Her amateur status only added to her anonymity. However, at the end of the tournament, the golfer Stephanie Kyriacou was able to clinch an eight-shot victory in the opening event of the Ladies European Tour. Since then, she has managed to turn heads many times in the golfing world, creating intrigue around herself.

Fast forward to the year 2024, and Kyriacou has made herself a known professional on the LPGA Tour. Even so, one can’t help but become curious about the Australian athlete who entered the world of golf through her dad, who was and continues to be an avid supporter of the talented woman golfer!

Stephanie Kyriacou’s father introduced her to golf

The golfer was born on November 22, 2000, to her parents, Nick Kyriacou and Angele Hakim Kyriacou. Her father was an amateur golfer himself, who introduced her to the sport at the age of four, along with her elder sister Eleena. Growing up, the Australian athlete became so engrossed in the game of golf that she decided to make a career out of it. And her dad? Well, he was even there to support her on the course as her caddie in 2020, when she was making a big impact on the European circuit.

Her rookie year was nothing short of amazing, despite the complicated COVID-19 restrictions that came along with it. She emerged victorious at the 2020 Geoff King Motors Australian Ladies Classic in Bonville while being an amateur golfer. Moreover, Kyriacou’s victory made her the 10th golfer to do so on the Ladies European Tour, following which she decided to turn pro.

That wasn’t the first time she raised her head in triumph at an amateur event. Interestingly, the woman golfer’s wins include the 2017 and 2019 Port Philip Open Amateur, the Victorian Women’s Amateur in 2018, the Australian Master of the Amateurs, and the Queensland Amateur Championship, both of which came in 2019. All of this was but a prelude to what would come after the athlete turned pro in 2020, aside from her two LET wins.

Kyriacou’s journey to the LPGA Tour and her accomplishments

The golfer, back in 2021, managed to finish T16 at the Q-series to earn a Tour membership for herself for the following year. In the season that followed, the golfer recorded two top-10 placements out of 21 starts including a T7 at a major championship, the AIG Women’s Open. Moreover, Kyriacou was also able to rake in a total of $483,135 as cuts from the various events.

In 2023, the pro managed to beat her own record as she garnered a figure of $538,690 from 21 starts, all the while finishing three times inside the top-10. Additionally, she was even selected to represent her country, Australia, at the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown, where she beat Atthyaya Thitikul 4&2 to help push her team to victory. This helped Kyriacou clinch her first international crown at the age of 23. Even though she boasts of such achievements, it’s not as if the golfer is constantly indulging herself in the world of golf alone.

Kyriacou’s favorite pastimes aside from golf

“Go to the beach, eating,” said an ecstatic Kyriacou when asked about what she would do when she was not playing golf. The athlete also mentioned how she would “always go to the Sushi Train” on the beach whenever she visited there. That doesn’t come as a surprise, seeing as how her favorite food is sushi itself.

That’s not all. The golfer also didn’t shy away from expressing her admiration for Rory McIlroy when asked about her favorite player in the sport. However, when asked about the most inspiring sportsperson or individual, she replaced the Northern Irishman’s name with that of another legend, Muhammad Ali, due to the boxer’s “really good attitude.”

Even so, Stephanie Kyriacou would only name her dad as a response if another question is put forward: “Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?” If asked about the reason, she would undoubtedly reply, “Because of his unconditional support.” After all it is the LPGA Tour pro’s father’s love and guidance that has made her the athlete she is today.