AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 1, 2021

Linn Grant

Quick Quotes

Q. I know it was a difficult day to play golf for everybody. How do you feel about your round today?

LINN GRANT: A little disappointed for sure. I hit the ball solid today. I just didn't get the putts to roll in, missed a couple of shorter ones. But, yeah, it was a little tricky out there, but a little bit disappointed.

Q. How do you feel now about your position? You're tied for eighth heading into the third round. You're still only three shots back. How do you feel about it?

LINN GRANT: I'm trying to stay positive for Saturday, and I think, playing Augusta, anything can basically happen. I just think that three shots is nothing basically. It's a double and a birdie, and then we're even. So I believe that anything can happen, and I still have a shot at it.

Q. Any leader board watching? Was the leaderboard a concern, or you pretty much knew where you were at?

LINN GRANT: Yeah.

Q. Again, were you just mostly putting -- you felt like you adjusted to the wind fine, had a little issue there, but mostly adjusted?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, for sure I missed a couple of greens on the wrong side, but I feel like, if I just hit those putts a little bit better or read them a little bit better, I would have been fine. I'm still fine, but I would have been more satisfied with my score.

Q. So what do you do tomorrow? It's so different because you have a full day, day and a half. How do you prepare for tomorrow but still enjoy it?

LINN GRANT: I'm going to enjoy it for sure. I'm going to take my notes and be out there and really get to know the course. I feel like I have some extra time to work on my putting, so I'll do that, and hopefully I'll be ready for Saturday.

Q. Your putting is important.

LINN GRANT: Putting is important, yes.

Q. Have you picked anyone's brain about how to play that golf course?

LINN GRANT: Yes and no. I have a couple of friends that played it before -- or people that I know. So I've asked them a little bit. There's some podcasts you can listen to. I listened to a little bit, but not too much. I think it's important to just go out and do your own thing, at least for me, kind of do my own way.

Q. Did you play the practice round in '19?

LINN GRANT: I did.

Q. What do you remember from that experience? Even though you didn't get to play it in the competitive round, what was your kind of takeaway from playing that day?

LINN GRANT: It was a little bit softer because it had been raining, I think. So the greens wasn't as fast. I think we're kind of in the same situation at the moment. It just rained a lot, so hopefully, they're not super speedy. But I just -- I mean, of course I remember every hole. I don't remember every shot, but I have some memories of it. So I'll try to remember as good as possible.

Q. Is it almost nice that you already got this out of the way two years ago, and this isn't your first time at the golf course, been there and done that, now trying to focus on winning the golf tournament?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, I think so. When I played the practice round two years ago, to me, because I knew it didn't really matter, I was just kind of enjoying it and having a good time and walking around and enjoying it. So I think I'm going to be a little bit more focused. Of course I am going to be more focused this time. I'm still going to appreciate being there.

Q. Did the missed cut in '19 motivate you for this year?

LINN GRANT: Yes, for sure. I knew what this golf course was like before I came. In 2019, I had a rough start, so like I said, I'm satisfied with where I'm at, and I think there's still a chance for me to get up in the top.

Q. You top players are separated by three shots in this golf tournament. Have you played much with Rose before or Ingrid?

LINN GRANT: Ingrid, of course, a lot. She's great. We played a lot at home this summer, some competitions. Rose, I haven't met her before. I saw her at the Symetra that was in Phoenix, so I was out watching her a little bit. But they're both really, really good, and they can kill that course tomorrow -- or Saturday. So we'll see.

Q. Have you thought a little bit how special it is to have your dad on the bag? He was on the bag for you at the U.S. Open as well. Could you kind of talk about that, about going to Augusta with him.

LINN GRANT: I think it's going to be great. I don't -- of course Augusta is special to him, but I feel like he's hiding it a little bit. I think so. I hope so. But I think we're a good team, of course. We have a family relationship, and that can be hard sometimes, but tomorrow I think we're going to enjoy it the most. Then on Saturday, we're going to go out and really play it.

Q. Also, a couple days ago you compared this course to the U.S. Open setup in Texas. How do you think it compares to a U.S. Open setup? Was it helpful that you had experience in similar conditions earlier in the year -- last year, I guess?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, I think so. My strategy when I was kind of just to have the same -- knowing that birdies are really good and some pars are also really, really good, and knowing that people are going to make bogeys and people are going to make double bogeys, and just kind of accept that a little bit more. I think that's easier for me if I expect the course to be really tough and kind of set myself into that.