Just about everything went right for Steph Kyriacou in 2021.
The 21-year-old Australian finished third on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit, won her second LET tournament at the curiously-named Big Green Egg Open and earned her playing card for the lucrative LPGA tour in 2022.
All while avoiding coronavirus.
So it was quite the blow when Kyriacou tested positive for COVID-19 on the eve of the inaugural WPGA Championship at Royal Queensland in January, ruling her out of contention for the Karrie Webb Cup.
"I didn't have any symptoms but the timing of it was just awful," Kyriacou said.
"I got it on the Tuesday morning of the WPGA and I was so excited for the event and then I just had to wave goodbye to everybody from the carpark."
Now recovered, the NSW golfer is among the favourites for the $410,000 women's Vic Open beginning at 13th Beach on Thursday along with major winner Hannah Green and fellow LPGA Tour regular Su Oh.
Even allowing for the short COVID-enforced layoff, Kyriacou hasn't had much time to sit back and focus on all she achieved in a remarkably consistent 2021 campaign which included eight top-10 finishes on the LET.
"I'm just rolling with it," she said.
"It's quite a quick turn-around and honestly I don't think anything of it, although I'm really happy I've ticked off some goals.
"I'm going to go to the States more this year just to keep my card for next year ... and hopefully this year I can actually come home in the middle of the year.
"We'll just see how it goes."
