U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

December 11, 2020

Linn Grant

Champions Golf Club

Flash Interview

THE MODERATOR: Linn Grant, 2-under 69 on Jackrabbit. Talk us through your round today.

LINN GRANT: Gosh, I started off a little -- No. 1, I just had a little tough first hole. I looked at my dad and said, a tough par on the first hole is probably a good deal today.

Then I just tried to come into my zone sort of, and just tried to play it easy and just continue doing what I've done so far.

Q. What were your expectations coming into the week?

LINN GRANT: I mean, I played in 2018, and my result from there after the first two days, I got a feel of what my game is and what I can do on this level. So I would say I was kind of confident if I just do what I know that I can.

Q. When you say you knew what you could do at this level, what can you do at this level now that you're seeing the best players in the world up close?

LINN GRANT: I mean, I think -- I'm still an amateur, and I haven't played a lot of tournaments, but I definitely think that my game is good enough to play on the LPGA.

Q. There's a level of confidence among the amateurs that we probably haven't seen in some time. Seven are likely to make the cut, could go as high as nine. What do you attribute that to?

LINN GRANT: Gosh, I don't know. I think we've been raised looking at a lot of good players, and we've been able to look at them through like Instagram and see what they do, and we just copy what they do. When we feel that we've reached that level, we kind of move on, and I think it's the same for the generations coming after us. I think people are just going to get better.

Q. What do you remember about the weekend at Shoal Creek and what you've learned from that experience?

LINN GRANT: I remember the most going out on the third day, and my caddie, which is my dad -- he's also caddying for me now. He counted the measure wrong on the first hole. We were 20 meters off, and I flew straight over the flag, over the green, everything. I didn't really recover from that. I don't think he did, either. I mean, we'll try to not put ourselves in that position again.

Q. What was the conversation like after that?

LINN GRANT: None. None. It was just -- I mean, I had a really hard time to really trust him again. I think from that moment I just took my own yardages and did my own thing. But it was tough because then all of a sudden I realized there was cameras everywhere. I was like, okay, gosh, I really have to get it back.

Q. Do you think your dad was more nervous than you were in that moment?

LINN GRANT: Probably -- I mean, he probably felt like he did something wrong for sure.

Q. How much more comfortable do you feel here this week versus that week in 2018?

LINN GRANT: I mean, that third round, that was probably the worst thing that could happen, and I feel like I've experienced that now, being in that position that I was back there. So I feel like I can do better this time for sure.

Q. Why do you think you're so comfortable, to his point earlier about so many amateurs? Is there just a comfort level, or where does that come from?

LINN GRANT: I don't know, actually. Actually I have no idea. But I feel like both in Europe and here, the level of competitiveness is so high, and I think if you -- like we've all tried to learn from each other, and I think that has helped us all.

Q. Do you think the fact -- you mentioned Instagram. Do you think the fact that you guys are comfortable being on camera because you've been on camera your whole life may help in situations like this?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, for sure. I mean, I'm not always comfortable standing here with a camera in my face, but you just -- it comes with it. You just have to deal with it. If you want to play here, you have to be able to do that.

Q. Is it easier or harder to play with no fans?

LINN GRANT: I don't really mind either, really.

Q. Your dad is a good player and instructor. Can you just talk about how much he has influenced your game and how much you rely on him now?

LINN GRANT: I mean, he played a lot. He played in college himself and tried a couple years to turn pro. Especially when I was younger, he taught me a lot, especially short game, to be able to have some fantasy around the greens and really hit some weird shots that maybe as a 12-year-old you wouldn't if you didn't have someone with you. But now he's more like my safety zone now, especially when he caddies. He keeps me calm on the golf course. We know each other. We know how we work together. So right now he's just security.

Q. Where do you play college golf?

LINN GRANT: West Florida.

Q. What was your best shot today?

LINN GRANT: I think I hit my driver on 10, and I said out loud, "That was probably the best drive I've hit in my life," so probably that shot, even though it's a drive. It's boring, but yeah.