DANA OPEN PRESENTED BY MARATHON

July 16, 2024

Linn Grant

Highland Meadows Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right here with Linn Grant, our defending champion at the Dana Open. Linn, can you just take us through some of what you remember from last year's Dana Open and what it felt like to earn your first victory here?

LINN GRANT: Obviously I just have a lot of good memories. I remember that I really like this course. It reminded me a lot of playing at home as a junior. Just the same grass type, just layout looks very familiar, so gives me a good feeling coming back.

Yeah, other than that, just some good memories. I'm glad to have my brother on the bag this year, kind of show him the grounds, and hopefully we'll be ready this year as well.

Q. Any specific memories you can think of, putts, shots that really stick out in your mind?

LINN GRANT: Obviously that eagle I made on 11 last year; holing an 8-iron was pretty dramatic I guess. Also I very cool memory to have. I think also because I've seen it on Instagram so many times now it's stuck in my mind forever.

But other than that, I just played really solid golf that week, especially that minus-9 round. Was just, I mean, a really, really good day.

Q. Yeah, it was. I know you've been playing well recently, especially on the LET. Just had another win. Can you just take us through what your game is feeling like right now?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, I think the whole year I feel like I'm playing really solid. Even on a bad week I'm not playing terrible golf. Still waiting to have kind of that momentum week where everything just goes my way, but I think coming back here, I mean, I hope this week could be it again.

Q. What about this course -- obviously a lot of low scoring each year. What about this course excites you the most about playing here?

LINN GRANT: Like you said, there is a lot of birdie opportunities like if you can be good off the tees. Greens are very small, so if you are good from the tees to the green you'll have a lot of short birdie putts, which I think is fun to have that in mind. Even if you have a bad hole, you make a bogey, there is also a lot to catch up on, which gives a nice feeling.

Q. Coming into this tournament as the defending champion, how does that play into your approach knowing it's also been 25 years since someone has gone back to back here in Sylvania?

LINN GRANT: I don't think my approach changes at all. I'm just going to go out like I did last year and play my game and play aggressively, and just try to make as many birdies as possible.

If there are holes I'm not happy about, let them be there. So a very open mindset, and like I said, just knowing that there is a lot of opportunities out there.

Q. What is it like driving down the street and seeing your name as a yard sign?

LINN GRANT: It's funny. It's very different for sure. I mean, yeah, it's a bit odd. It's a fun, I mean, thing they added to the tournament. Obviously makes it a little more special when you drive down here.

Q. You mentioned watching that eagle on Instagram. Is it possible to use social media as a teaching tool? Can you go back and look ar the clips and get in the right mindset?

LINN GRANT: I think looking back at like a shot like that or when you played a really good round, it's when you're in it it feels so obvious that it's going well.

But on the days when shooting minus-9, it's nice to go back and watch how easy it felt and kind of put yourself in that mindset again, yeah.

Q. You're obviously going to be in the Olympics in just a couple weeks. Congratulations.

LINN GRANT: Thank you.

Q. How excited are you for that opportunity, and what are you doing to prepare?

LINN GRANT: I'm very excited. I'm not playing next week unfortunately. I really love the Canadian Open. I'm going to be home for the two weeks prior and prep and rest a little bit and feel like I'm mentally ready to go to the Olympics.

And then we fly over a couple days early to watch some other sports, be in the environment, watch the guys play. To me, I think that week, the best thing for me would probably be to be a little bit more relaxed and just really enjoy the experience.

I think it's just every fourth year. So few people get to go to the Olympics. I don't want to feel like I was there and didn't take the opportunity to actually be there.

So, yeah.

Q. This will be yours and Maja's first Olympics. Have you talked a lot about it and what you're looking forward to about the experience together?

LINN GRANT: A little bit for sure. I think we're both on the same plane there with like wanting to watch other sports and be a part of like the Swedish team and not just the golf team. Just really go and cheer for other sports.

I mean, we both played -- well, we played European teams as amateurs. We both love those events, and those are the best memories representing Sweden and being in those events.

I think we both just have great memories from past tournaments like that.

Q. Shortly after the Olympics will be a Solheim Cup; you're hoping to play there again. This time on U.S. territory. What's your mindset about the Solheim Cup right now?

LINN GRANT: Obviously I want to make the team, so that's my priority at the moment.

But once we get there I think -- for me it will be different. My first year, last year, playing in Spain, it was it was very nice mentally, nice having European crowds, a lot of family and friends there. I think this year it will be different for sure. I've heard some bad stories.

But I'm also very excited for it. I'm kind of one of those players that I don't mind having the crowd a little against me. I think it could be quite fun. I will probably go U-S-A walking up on the tees to feel like they're cheering for me.

No, I think it will be fun. It will be a great experience for sure.

Q. You mentioned that your brother will be caddieing for you. How many times has he been on the bag and how do you think that relationship is going to help this week with him next to you?

LINN GRANT: He started -- what was his first week? I think we've just done like six or seven weeks, tournaments, and so and our plan is to do the year out and evaluate the experience and see what we both want to do after that.

But to me, it's just nice to have someone that I can travel with and experience more so everything that happens outside of golf with someone that I enjoy spending my time with. And also just be able to kind of chat about things that doesn't involve golf at all on the golf course, and feel like I have someone beside me that really knows me, yeah.

Q. And then I did want to get your thoughts about Friday. This tournament is dedicating that round to Lexi. I think there is a flyover during her tee shot, which is kind of unheard of. What are your thoughts on hearing about that?

LINN GRANT: I think it's great. She's done so much for this tour and women's golf in general, so I think she's a great role model for all the little girls and guys that want to play golf.

I think she really deserves to have a day. I think it's really nice for the tournament to make that appreciation for her. I think she deserves all of that for sure.