KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 23, 2023

Linn Grant

Baltusrol Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back here with Linn Grant, 2-under on the day today, even overall. What was it like out there in the morning.

LINN GRANT: It was all right out there. I think I played solid all around, just made a couple mistakes in the end there. But other than that, I feel ready to make some more birdies on the weekend, and yeah.

Q. What did you take away from your round yesterday going into today?

LINN GRANT: I feel like my game is getting better for each day. That's usually how I work. Yesterday I felt not as confident with my game as I usually is. So today was a lot better than yesterday, but I still had a good feeling coming off yesterday.

But yeah, it's a tough course, you just have to hit a lot of greens and make some good decisions out there.

Q. What was the most significant thing you seemed to do better today?

LINN GRANT: I think I just probably was more confident in the way I was hitting my shots, like really going into them 100 percent and not -- yeah, just kind of more confident out there. That helped me a lot, I think.

Q. Is this a pretty demanding place to play if you're not fully confident over shots?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, I would say so. Honestly, if you could hit the middle of the green on every hole and just putt from there, that sounds way easier than it is, but you've still got to do that with a lot of confidence I feel like.

Q. After not playing for a while in the United States, is there kind of an adjustment period where playing around the world, but now you come back to the U.S.? Is there anything different between the courses here compared to other places?

LINN GRANT: I mean, it is a little different. I would say the standard of golf course on the LPGA is a lot higher, especially during a major, obviously. But it requires a lot more thinking usually, and just being more aware I'd say.

Q. After not playing in the States for a couple years, is there any type of chip on your shoulder, really trying to get back in the winner's circle out here?

LINN GRANT: Well, I've never been in the winner's circle out here. I still feel like a rookie. Still feel like I'm out here to prove myself, which I don't feel like it's a bad thing. Just trying to make a living.

Q. I'm sure there are a lot of points in the last few years when you thought you would be able to come back and the goal posts kind of kept moving. How did you keep yourself from getting mentally down during those periods?

LINN GRANT: So I kind of always had two plans, like if they were going to open up, regardless of when, I always had a plan for it. But I was also -- like in the beginning it was kind of tough, when I earned my status out here I really wanted to come. But then on the other hand, I kind of told myself that I was going to do Europe full on, and if anything changed, that was just an opportunity.

I kind of went with that mindset instead and just thought that whatever opportunity I get to play out here, whenever the Tour comes to Europe or we go to Asia, I kind of saw that as my chance of like doing good.

Q. Obviously vaccination status is a highly controversial topic. Did you stay offline? Did you not read comments, or did you see some of them, and how did you internalize that?

LINN GRANT: Well, I read everything that's on my Instagram, but most of them are actually positive. I think a lot of people think that they're negative, but at least on my Instagram they're all positive.

The few negative I get, I just brush them off. They don't know me. They don't know my reasons.

Q. Were you pleasantly surprised by that?

LINN GRANT: Yes, I was. You always expect people to judge you in a harsh way. But yeah, I mostly got nice ones.

Q. Was there a silver lining to all of this being able to play closer to home more often?

LINN GRANT: Yes. I think I've said that before in an interview. I think I wouldn't be here with the confidence I have now and being as prepared as I am now as a pro if I were to come like when I was supposed to. I think playing at home, I've gotten a lot more confident and comfortable with playing as a pro and with all that media and all the other stuff that goes around with it, traveling and all that. I try to see it as a positive. That's pretty much all I can do. I think I got a lot of positives out of it.