Gemma Dryburgh aims to cut out 'fear' factor as she chases second LPGA win in Los Angeles

Gemma Dryburgh is aiming to play without “fear” as she chases a second LPGA title triumph in less than six months in California on Sunday.

The Scot, who made her breakthrough on the circuit by landing the TOTO Japan Classic in November, sits fourth, just three shots off the lead, heading into the final round of the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro.

It follows her carding the joint-best-round of the day with a five-under-par 66 in the penultimate circuit at Wilshire Country Club, where she is chasing American Cheyenne Knight.

Dryburgh had opened the event with a polished 65 before dropping down the leaderboard as she followed that with an untidy 76, which she admitted had been mainly down to her attitude.

Gemma Dryburgh chats to her caddie during the third round of the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro at Wilshire Country Club. Picture: Harry How/Getty Images.

“I think I played with a bit of fear yesterday,” she said. “Just kind of trying not to make mistakes instead of the first day I just kind of went out and picked a target and went for it, which I did again today. So that helped a lot, and hopefully I can just do that again tomorrow.

“I just think you just have to believe in yourself. I've shown myself that I can play out here and I can hit good shots when I need to. My caddie also knows what I can do and yesterday after nine holes, he said, ‘let's stop playing with fear and kind of hit the reset button a little bit there’.”

Back in the groove in her third round, the Scottish No 1 picked up three birdies in the first five holes and signed for six in total, with just one dropped shot on her card. “It was nice to bounce back after yesterday,” she said.

A second win would hand Dryburgh a huge boost in her bid to be on the European team for the Solheim Cup in Spain in September.

“I think just taking the confidence that I'm good enough to do it,” she said of what she’d try and take from that brilliant five-shot success in Japan. “I've shown myself that I can do it, so there's no reason I can't do it tomorrow.

“I've got nothing to lose really. It's a tough course, so it's tough to chase, but I'm putting well, so hopefully I can do that again tomorrow.”