LPGA QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT STAGE II

October 20, 2021

Linn Grant

Plantation Golf and Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Obviously you were exempt into this week because of your finish in the Golf Week rankings. How much does that benefit you to have come out of the amateur rankings and this quickly had an opportunity to qualify through Q-School?

LINN GRANT: I think it's a great opportunity to just come straight to Stage II, even though I feel like playing Stage I would've given me kind of the knowledge of playing Q-School, you know.

But I feel great. I mean, I know all the people here already through -- or most of them through college golf. Being ranked top amateur and top college I think kind of gave me some confidence for this week and for the future.

Q. How much did college golf and your time as an amateur prepare you, like you said, for the challenge of not only Q-School, but the life of a professional?

LINN GRANT: Right. I think, I mean, I chose to go to college to give myself the time to become a better golfer and prepare myself for the U.S. stage and everything, all the differences from playing in Europe.

So I think that was a good choice and I feel way more ready now than I did two, three years ago. So I hope that was a good decision.

Q. You left after your sophomore year?

LINN GRANT: Yes.

Q. How invaluable were those two years at Arizona State playing under Missy Farr-Kaye?

LINN GRANT: I mean, super good, and like I said, I was there to prepare myself, and I think I did that fully. Playing other courses and being there with great coach es and a great team, and having the facility and everything, that kind of made it as good as it can possibly be.

Q. With that exemption, and obviously you said not being able to play Stage I, as nice as it is, what are some of your expectations heading into Stage II, something you never experienced before?

LINN GRANT: It's difficult because you come out here and you try to think that it's a normal competition. You want to go out and win, but at the same time, you know that the top 45 goes through.

So I tried to just stay here, now, and just think of what I can do tomorrow and then take it day by day like I would a normal event.

But it's still scary.

Q. As a young person still in the game, how invaluable do you think exemptions like the one you got to get into this stage are to your success going forward?

LINN GRANT: I think they're great. I mean, it's a great opportunity just to skip the first stage and kind of go straight here. And having the time to prepare in other ways, not having to come over here -- I was able to stay in Europe and play some events. I think it was great. I think it would have been great either way. You kind of find a way either way.

But it's always nice to be exempt.