Linn Grant conquers The Annika with a dominant performance
Swedish golfer Linn Grant demonstrated absolute control in her game, accumulating 52 consecutive holes without committing a single bogey, a streak that came to an end on the last hole of the tournament, when it was no longer relevant. Grant closed with an impressive round of 65 strokes, five under par, securing the victory with a three-stroke lead over Jennifer Kupcho at The Annika.
This triumph represents Grant’s second LPGA title, and the second time she has received the trophy from the legendary Swedish golfer and tournament host, Annika Sorenstam. Grant had already won the Scandinavian Mixed in Sweden, an event co-organized by Sorenstam and Henrik Stenson.
“You made this field look easy. And it’s not,” Sorenstam said to Grant on the 18th green.
Annika Sorenstam
Grant finished the tournament with a total of 261 strokes, 19 under par, and was close to setting a new tournament record, but a bogey on the last hole prevented him. This was his first mistake since the opening hole on Friday.
The Swedish golfer expressed her satisfaction with the performance: “There are weeks when you feel like your game is really good and that you could potentially win. It’s very nice to see everything go well and be able to walk down the 18th hole and feel like I really achieved it this week.”
Grant, a first-time winner in this tournament, recalled her childhood and the inspiration Sorenstam gave her: “I started practicing with my father, so thank you for that,” she told Sorenstam.Legend: “You made this field look easy. And it’s not,” Annika Sorenstam said to Linn Grant on the 18th green.
Kupcho, who achieved a birdie on the first hole to tie for the lead, saw Grant respond with a birdie on the following hole, definitively taking the lead. The Swedish golfer maintained the pressure, achieving a 15-foot birdie putt to stay on top after five holes, and then consolidated her advantage on the ninth hole.
Kupcho made her second bogey in the first nine holes, while Grant made a 10-foot birdie putt, extending her lead to three strokes. No other competitor came close in the rest of the tournament.
Kupcho also finished with a round of 65 strokes.
Grant commented on the competition: “I’m glad she was playing well because I think that pushed me to play better. And, overall, I thought whoever won was going to do a great job.”
Gaby López, from Mexico, finished in third place after achieving birdie on four of her last six holes, with a card of 65.
Brooke Matthews also had a memorable weekend. She achieved a hole-in-one with a 9-iron from 140 yards on the 12th hole, winning a two-year lease of a Lamborghini Huracán. Two holes later, Matthews achieved an eagle, demonstrating her excellent performance.
This performance, added to her round of 65, which included scores of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, led her to tie for ninth place, obtaining the necessary points to enter the top 60 of the Race to the CME Globe, which ensures her a place in the CME Group Tour Championship next week, where the winner will take home $4 million.
“It was incredible,” Matthews said. “All week I was saying, ‘I want to win the Lamborghini.’ … I saw it bounce. I still can’t believe it. I blacked out. I can’t wait to see it on video because I still don’t remember it well.”
Nataliya Guseva also had her moment of glory. She achieved a birdie from 109 yards on the last hole, securing a 68 that placed her in the top 60.
Lucy Li also advanced to next week in Naples. Her birdie on the last hole gave her a 66 and moved her up 13 places, ranking her in 58th place.
Grant was about to lose his streak of annual victories dating back to 2020, when he was still an amateur and won twice in the Nordic Golf League. He has obtained titles in the LPGA, Ladies European Tour, LET Access Series, Ladies Sunshine Tour, Nordic Golf League and even in the European Tour, which co-sanctioned the Scandinavian Mixed.
Grant revealed his father’s words: “My father is a man of good words. When he saw someone’s career, he always said: ‘If you win every year, that’s pretty solid.’ I guess that’s what it is.”
Defending champion Nelly Korda, who had won three times at the Pelican Golf Club, started the tournament six strokes behind Grant and couldn’t keep up the pace. She finished with a 69 and tied for 15th place.
