Australian Stephanie Kyriacou has fallen just short of a maiden major title after an absorbing final round at The Amundi Evian Championship in France.

Leading by one through 54 holes at Evian Resort Golf Club, Kyriacou spent much of the final day engaged in a tug-of-war with American Lauren Coughlin.

Yet as the pair went toe-to-toe and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit (63) posted 17-under in the clubhouse, it was Japan’s Ayaka Furue (65) who rode a hot putter over the final five holes to finish at 19-under and edge the Aussie by a shot.

Trailing Coughlin by three standing on the 14th tee, Furue dragged herself back into the mix with three straight birdies and then closed it out with an eagle at the 72nd hole, Kyriacou making birdie to claim outright second and her best finish in a major championship.

The 23-year-old from Sydney barely put a foot wrong all day, a chunked chip after coming up short out of the rough at the par-4 17th leading to her only bogey of the day.

“It’s mixed emotions,” said Kyriacou after her round of 4-under 67.

“Obviously I wanted to win but I played how I wanted to and I did my best and Ayaka just came in clutch at the end.”

The one-stroke lead Kyriacou carried into the final round had been eliminated by the second hole, the two-time Ladies European Tour winner showing wonderful composure to get up-and-down for par as both Coughlin and Furue made birdie at the par-3 second to join the Australian at 14-under par.

All three co-leaders made birdie at the par-4 third to move to 15-under but Coughlin was the first to 16-under with birdie at six.

Kyriacou joined her when she got up-and-down for birdie at the par-5 seventh but missed a birdie putt from close range as Coughlin picked up a shot at the par-5 ninth to take a one-shot lead into the final nine.

A steady stream of pars kept Kyriacou in contention until she joined Coughlin at 17-under with a silky pitch and birdie from six feet at the par-5 15th.

She took dead aim at the par-3 16th and converted from four feet to take the outright lead at 18-under, one clear of Furue as Coughlin dropped two back with her first bogey in 29 holes.

Kyriacou and Furue arrived at the 72nd tee tied with Tavatanakit at 17-under par.

Furue’s tee shot finished in the first cut just right of the fairway but Kyriacou was forced to lay up after missing in the deep rough left of the short grass.

There was an anxious moment as Furue’s second just cleared the water front of the green before settling 10 feet above the hole.

It gave Kyriacou a glimmer of hope and she responded by hitting wedge to five feet from 125 yards.

But Furue would not be denied, playing the final five holes in 5-under par for her first major title and second LPGA Tour win.

Final Australasian scores
2          Stephanie Kyriacou      66-66-67-67—266
T39      Lydia Ko (NZ)                65-73-72-71—281
T44      Hannah Green              73-69-70-70—282
T49      Minjee Lee                   70-69-68-76—283
T51      Grace Kim                    70-70-74-70—284
T55      Gabriela Ruffels           69-72-76-70—287
MC       Sarah Kemp                 75-71—146
MC       Hira Naveed                 75-73—148