THE ANNIKA DRIVEN BY GAINBRIDGE AT PELICAN

November 9, 2023

Linn Grant

Pelican Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Joined now by Linn Grant. Linn, just take us through your first round here at Pelican Golf Club.

LINN GRANT: Solid day. Hit my driver really well today, irons really well today. Had a lot of opportunities on the greens. Felt like I could have easily been 8-under par today, but it's a bit tricky with the grain and slowly getting into it.

Q. Bogey-free on the day. What were some of the things you were seeing from the course that kind of put you in positions to do that?

LINN GRANT: Like I said, just I felt very solid with my swing today. Before going out I was a bit nervous about it because I didn't really feel like I had it, so I was just very -- tried to be very exact with everything and take my time on my shots.

Q. I'm sure these guys will ask you about the round, so I'm going to ask you about Annika. Do you remember your first time learning about her or meeting her and just kind of the relationship you've had with Annika?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, I mean, I played both in her junior events, college events, and now here. Feel like she's been around, always around, which is really cool.

I think in Sweden where we had the ANNIKA Invitational, she's is there full time. She really takes her time to be there and does fun things with us, her clinic, and really puts on a really great event for us to experience that young.

So I just think it's really cool for her to have a pro event and for me to be here. Feel like it's a full circle moment.

Q. Speaking of full circle, coming up on your first full season on the LPGA Tour. What have you learned about yourself and your game throughout this whole year? There's been a lot. You have had so much go on. You won, you played Solheim. As you start to think about CME, thinking about this week, what have you taken away with a little bit of time to reflect?

LINN GRANT: I feel like we all really out here doubt ourselves a lot, so to me, just being able to look back and see that my game has really been enough and that I've been performing really well even though you don't always trust yourself 100%.

To still be able to go out and play good on bad days and all that, I think kind of takes that with me to next season. And knowing that I am good enough to be out here, just to boost myself with that feeling.

Q. What was it like to play with Jin Young and Nelly today? You were right there. Jin Young was joking you were outdriving them. What was it like to play with them around this beautiful golf course?

LINN GRANT: They're great players and really nice to play with them, to kind of tag along with their game. They're so solid, so it becomes a nice vibe in the group. Really nice people, so it's very relaxed and just a very easy day.

Q. Bogey-free low round. Never turn that down, but the fact that it is here in Annika's tournament with your long relationship with her, does it mean a little bit more?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, for sure. I mean, like I said before, I feel like I've seen her name on tournaments for so many years, so it doesn't feel that odd for her to have a pro event. Feel like that is what she deserves.

It's really fun to like I said kind of have the full circle moment. Coming back to playing a pro event in her name and having her here and just seeing what she does for the game, it's really, really nice.

Q. Have you won one of her events either at the junior or collegiate levels?

LINN GRANT: No, I never have.

Q. It's early. I get it. Do you let yourself think about how important it would be if you could do three more days of what you just did?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, obviously every week you kind of aspire to win, especially this week with having her here, and, again, creating one of those more special memories so that would be obviously really cool.