LET:A REFRESHING new mental approach helped Hazel Kavanagh record the best result of her career at the UNIQA Ladies Golf Open in Austria. Ireland may still be waiting for a first winner on the Ladies European Tour but Kavanagh's third-place finish hinted at a promising future.

In 53 previous starts on the pro circuit, Kavanagh had failed to break into the top 10. But, having adopted a new more carefree mindset, the 37-year-old came within a whisker of a maiden title.

Ultimately, three dropped shots in the opening three holes would deny the Dubliner her moment in the sun. A double bogey at the second, where her ball lodged in a tree, was particularly damaging.

Yet, while many players would have fallen apart, Kavanagh kept any further bogeys off the card and went on to hole three birdies on her way to an eight-under total, one shy of a possible play-off with Laura Davies and Linda Wessberg.

Standing on the tee of the par five 18th, a quick glance at the leaderboard left Kavanagh fully aware one more birdie would guarantee a place in the shoot-out. Weighing up her options, she believed the best course of action was to lay up, take the water out of the equation and take her chances with a pitch and a putt. Unfortunately, her approach spun more than anticipated and the ensuing putt rolled by. “The third shot, I thought I’d played a perfect shot and it was the first shot all day that just checked too quickly,” she said.

“I was very disappointed because I thought it was perfect. I’m a tiny bit disappointed I didn’t make four on 18 but what can you do.” And the secret of Kavanagh’s new found success? “Not caring where the ball goes,” she explained. “I used to care and try so hard to put it into position but now I just hit it and then find it and hit it. I always knew I had it in me but mentally I was very weak and I’m much stronger this year.”

Wessberg claimed the title on the second extra hole, denying Davies a third successive triumph at the Golfclub Föhrenwald. Wessberg and Davies both took three on the par-three 16th before Wessberg triumphed with a six on the par-five 18th. Davies hopes of a fourth title ended in a watery grave as she took a seven after finding the water twice.