Sara Kouskova found her form on day three of the Magical Kenya Ladies Open shooting a 66 (-7) to move into the top 10.
The Czech player had a slower start to the tournament with rounds of 78 (+5) and 73 (E) on the first two days at Vipingo Ridge.
But everything came together in the third round when she had an eagle, seven birdies and two bogeys for her seven-under.
That impressive move on Saturday ensured Kouskova ended the day in a tie for eighth place with a score of two-under-par and she now sits seven shots back from the leaders.
“Everything did go right! Even my bogey on 16 was a saved bogey, so I think even that was good,” she said.
“I felt it during the front nine that it was a good day and the putt that dropped on nine, it was my first longer putt that had dropped this week, so I thought it was a good day. I just tried to keep momentum and not break it and just kept doing the same things and trusting it.
“We read the putts well today and rolled it much better than the last two days. The game was there from the beginning, but I think getting into the tournament mode more was part of it and great support from my caddie too.
“We had a great preparation before the season and even after the first season on Tour it just felt way better coming to a place I know and getting ready for what I could expect. We just tried to do that and even though I shot five-over on day one, it felt like I played good golf, it just wasn’t good for short game, and I have tried to work on it the past two days and it was good.”
Kouskova was a rookie on the LET in 2023 having won both the LET Access Series Order of Merit and Rookie of the Year titles in 2022.
The 24-year-old made 19 cuts with her best result being fifth at the Hero Women’s Indian Open which made sure she secured her full card for 2024.
But the University of Texas graduate found 2023 was a big learning curve and has implemented changes for the season ahead.
She explained: “I learned so many things. I can’t sum all of it up, but it was learning things about being a professional. Knowing where to practice, how to practice and knowing how to go about the preparation before the tournament too.
“The travelling and playing is way more than the amateur days or during college or LETAS, so as a whole I was so happy that we know the courses that we’re coming to and knowing the process. It was way easier.
“We have been twice to Spain. Once as a little holiday with my family and then also as a two-week preparation for the season. It was fruitful. I brought my coach there too which helped a lot and with my caddie Jakub we did a lot of right things and tried to learn from last year’s preps.
“I needed to play way more on the course, we played 12 different courses in Spain and get the variety in there of different grasses for the season and I’m very excited. It’s the Olympics year as well! We will try to do our best and enjoy it and shoot more rounds like this.”
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