Linn Grant fires 62, opens six-stroke lead at Dana Open
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Linn Grant of Sweden lining up a putt on the 18th green during the third round of the Dana Open in Sylvania, Ohio, on July 15.
PHOTO: AFP
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OHIO – Sweden’s Linn Grant shrugged off a near four-hour weather delay to torch Highland Meadows for a nine-under 62 that gave her a six-shot lead in the LPGA Dana Open on Saturday.
But her hopes of joining compatriot Annika Sorenstam as the only players in LPGA history to shoot a 59 evaporated with a bogey at the 16th hole.
The 24-year-old sits at 18-under 195, with five golfers tied for second at 12 under. Two others are seven shots off the lead in a tie for seventh.
In pursuit of her first win on the LPGA Tour, Grant put some distance between herself and the pack with an eagle and eight birdies against one bogey.
She birdied four consecutive holes from the second to kick off her round at Sylvania, Ohio. Then she holed out from 148 yards for eagle on No. 11.
“Well, yeah, obviously we had a delay in the middle of it pretty much,” said Grant, playing in her first Dana Open.
“I was four under at the time. Had to go in. I wasn’t really feeling as confident as I would like to, but I found some good swings on the range and felt better going out after the delay.
“(Hole) 11 was amazing. Like, I hit a really good drive and a really good second shot, it just took one bounce pretty much and went in. I think it’s my first hole-out eagle, probably. Just really cool.”
Grant said she tried not to think too much about the prospect of a 59 – although one spectator made sure it was on her mind.
“He just came up to me and he said, ‘Do you think you have a 59 in you?’ And then all of a sudden I was like, ‘Oh, God’.”
Grant missed her first green of the day at No. 16 and ended up with a bogey.
She finished three strokes shy of tying the 18-hole record.
Second-round leader Annie Park
Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia fired a 65 to give herself a shot among a cadre of players tied for second. She is joined in the pack by Mexico’s Maria Fassi, Finland’s Matilda Castren, Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen (all 67s) and Allisen Corpuz (68).
US Women’s Open champion Corpuz had a close-up look at Grant’s game on Saturday, playing alongside the leader in the final group.
“No one’s going to catch up if she plays the way she did today,” the American said.
Grant earned her tour card for last season but was barred from the US because of Covid-19 vaccination requirements.
She had four top-10 finishes in six LPGA starts outside the United States in 2022 and also claimed four wins on the Ladies European Tour – including in the Scandinavian Mixed that was co-sanctioned by the men’s tour.
Kyriacou, also in search of her first win on tour, vaulted 18 spots up the leaderboard thanks to eight birdies against two bogeys.
“I think my putting has been pretty good,” said the 22-year-old. “I actually changed putters for the first time in like 12 years, so it was either going to be really good or really bad.
“So I’m glad it was really good. But, yeah, I holed some nice putts, I’ve given myself some opportunities as well, which has been good but really converted them.”
REUTERS, AFP
