Linn Grant conquers The Annika with a dominant game
Swedish golfer Linn Grant demonstrated exceptional control in her game, accumulating 52 consecutive holes without bogeys, an impressive streak that ended on the last hole of the tournament, but did not tarnish her victory. Grant closed with a score of 65 strokes under par, securing the triumph with a three-stroke lead over Jennifer Kupcho at The Annika. This is Grant’s second title on the LPGA, and she again 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-hosted by Sorenstam and Henrik Stenson. “You made this field look easy. It’s not easy,” Sorenstam commented to Grant on the 18th green. Grant finished the tournament with a total of 19 under par, with possibilities of setting a new record until a bogey on the last hole ended his streak of impeccable play. His first mistake since the initial hole on Friday. Grant expressed his satisfaction with the performance:Grant, the first Swede to win this tournament since its inception in 2020, highlighted the importance of this achievement, recalling her attendance at Sorenstam’s clinics when she was a child. She even remembered seeing Sorenstam practice wedge shots and how her father imitated her.“There are weeks when you feel like your game is really good and that you can 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.”
Linn Grant
Gaby López, from Mexico, finished in third place after making birdies on four of the last six holes, with a score of 65 strokes. Brooke Matthews also had a memorable day. She achieved a hole-in-one with a 9-iron from 140 yards on the 12th hole, winning a two-year lease for a Lamborghini Huracán. Two holes later, Matthews achieved an eagle, which contributed to her outstanding performance. Matthews finished with a card of 65 strokes, which led her to tie for ninth place and secured her a place among the top 60 in the Race to the CME Globe, qualifying her for next week’s CME Group Tour Championship, where the winner will receive $4 million.“I’m glad she was playing well because I think that really pushed me to play better,” Grant said. “And overall, I just thought whoever won was going to do a really good job.”
Linn Grant
Nataliya Guseva also had her stellar moment, holing a shot with a gap wedge from 109 yards on the last hole for birdie, which gave her a card of 68 strokes and placed her among the top 60. Lucy Li also advanced to next week in Naples. Her birdie on the last hole gave her a card of 66 strokes and moved her up 13 places, to number 58. Grant, who has maintained an annual winning streak since 2020, in both amateur and professional fields, including the LPGA, the Ladies European Tour and the European Tour, expressed the importance of this achievement.“It was incredible,” Matthews said. “All week I thought, ‘I want to win the Lamborghini.’ … I just saw it bounce. I still can’t believe it. I blacked out. I can’t wait to see it on video because I still can’t remember it.”
Brooke Matthews
Defending champion Nelly Korda, who had won three times at the Pelican Golf Club, couldn’t keep up with Grant and finished in 15th place, with a score of 69 strokes.“My father is a man of good words,” she said. “When he looked at someone else’s career, he always said: ‘If you win every year, that’s pretty solid.’ I guess that’s what it is.”
Linn Grant
