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Linn Grant was on 59 Watch during Saturday’s third round of the LPGA’a Dana Open. While she fell short on becoming the second-ever LPGA golfer to do that, she did post an impressive 9-under 62, hitting 17 of 18 greens and needing just 27 putts to take a six-shot lead after 54 holes at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio.
That 62 matches the low score on the LPGA in 2023 but five-time winner on the Ladies European Tour was aiming higher, trying to become the sixth Rolex First-Time Winner on the LPGA.
Missy Farr-Kaye, Grant’s college coach at Arizona State, was certainly enjoying what she was watching and even texted the CBS broadcast booth to say that Linn “loves to win”.
Consider Grant now a winner on the LPGA.
The last two U.S. Women’s Open champs – Allisen Corpuz and Minjee Lee – tried to give chase during the final round but they were too far back to make a serious dent in Grant’s lead.
Corpuz birdied Nos. 14, 15, 17 and 18 to get to 18 under and cut the lead to two just as Grant was teeing off on the 17th hole.
Grant, who opened with seven consecutive pars, made several par-saving putts on the back nine and closed with a statement birdie on the par-5 18th to seal the win in her 15th LPGA start. A final-round 68 got her to 21 under, three clear of the field.
“I feel like I was so blank today. I just really tried to kind of be in the moment without losing — I was playing well, but I was also scrambling a bit at the end there. So my plan was just try to keep it together without thinking too much about what could happen.”
Corpuz was second at 18 under. Lindy Duncan was solo third at 15 under. Xiyu Lin and Stephanie Kyriacou tied for fourth at 14 under. Maria Fassi was sixth, her best finish since a tie for 15th back in February. Defending Dana Open champion Gaby Lopez finished 12 under, tied for sixth alongside Jaravee Boonchat, Aditi Ashok and Minjee Lee.
Mia Hammond, a 15-year-old amateur who made the cut after opening 68-68, shot 70-72 over the weekend and tied for 21st.
Grant earned $262,500 for the win, which now elevates her into a different conversation: making the European Solheim Cup team.
“It was a big goal coming into this year. Obviously, since I played well on the LET last year, I knew if I just continued to play my game I would be there in September. And I guess it’s even more clear now.”
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