The Amundi Evian Championship

Wednesday, 26 July 2023

Evian-les-Bains, France

Evian Resort Golf Club

Linn Grant

Press Conference


THE MODERATOR: All right, welcome back inside the media center they're to the Amundi Evian Championship. Pleased to be joined by one the newest LPGA Tour winner, Linn Grant.

Linn, welcome back to Evian. How does it feel to be back in Evian France?

LINN GRANT: It feels good. It wasn't too long ago I was here. Feels familiar and nice.

Q. One of the only players to say they have won on the Evian course but not the major yet. What was it about that week that you really felt was your week when you won the Jabra Ladies Open?

LINN GRANT: It was my last week before heading to the U.S. Felt like my last week on the LET at the moment. We'll see about that.

But it was just a nice week. I had a lot of things ahead of me and it's always nice to start a couple weeks on the road with a good week.

I had my coach on the bag and my mom was with me, so it was just a really nice week.

Q. You took last week off and were able to return home to Sweden. What was that like?

LINN GRANT: It was fun. I wasn't home for my birthday, so got a chance celebrate with some friends and family. Just was home, relaxed. Had a bit of practice, yeah.

Q. Linn, would be remiss no not mention the Dana Open a few weeks ago; got that three-shot win and played astoundingly good golf. No surprise from you, but what did that win do for your confidence in terms of competing out here? Obviously knew you were going to be competitive. To pick up the first win in the States, what did that feel like?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, I'd been playing just in Europe for the past two years or so, I felt that I had the game to win on the LPGA, but it's always that you have to get over this stem of actually doing it.

It was just nice confidence-wise to get it done early and to just have a really like solid week where I felt like I could perform out on the LPGA even on a regular week.

So it's a boost for sure.

Q. Coming off that boost and coming here, where you, A, won before, and, B, played well in the Evian in previous years, what kind of confidence are you carrying into this golf course and why does this place suit you so well?

LINN GRANT: I tried not to have too much confidence coming into this golf course. You have to play it smart. You cannot be too greedy out there, really play to the big areas and not -- like I said, don't be too greedy with some pins.

So just if you're having a great week on the greens, I just try to -- that's my plan, to have confidence in my putting and just hopefully drop a few birdies.

Q. Tell me about the approach shots out here. A lot of sidehill lies and not something we see often on the LPGA. How do you adjust?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, I mean, it's different, especially hitting downhill and on the second hole. It's a long way down there. You know, you just have to figure out and kind of think that everyone is feeling a bit rusty with it. It's not the usual thing we do.

And also when you hit a shot that isn't maybe the way you wanted, it's fine and just accept it for what it is and move on I think.

Q. We don't do a lot of clinching on the European Solheim Cup team, but how much are you looking forward to that week and now that you're back in Europe, does it get you more excited to be in Spain in a few months?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, I was there in January so I've seen the course. It's a beautiful place. I am really excited to play in a team event, especially the Solheim Cup obviously. It's been a dream of mine since I was a kid.

So I think it's going to be great. It's going to be -- going to have a great team. Suzann as a captain will be perfect I think. Yeah, just really looking forward to it.

Q. At what time did you get back from your outing this morning? The pro-am, what time was it?

LINN GRANT: I was out at 7:35. I don't know what time I was in. Maybe 12:30 or 1:00.

Q. That's a half hour difference. Can you be more precise? It's just you find out the tempo of this pro-am?

LINN GRANT: I don't know what time it was when I got in. I'm not sure.

Q. Looks like over five hours for the first team this morning.

LINN GRANT: I would think so, yes.

Q. So it means that we approach six hours tonight.

LINN GRANT: Maybe.

Q. With bad weather coming back.

LINN GRANT: I don't know.

Q. What's the first thing you think of when the rain is pouring on No. 1? What is the first thing you foresee to protect yourself? The gloves? Hat? What do you think first thing?

THE MODERATOR: Are you talking about when it's raining how to protect the clubs and such?

Q. Like this morning. The pros are looking for what in the morning at the hotel? They look outside, oh, it's bad weather. I need to... what?

LINN GRANT: Well, you just have to go out there, put your rain gear on and umbrella, and that's it.

Q. That's it?

LINN GRANT: Yeah.

Q. Mr. Harman who played basically the British Open and win it had something like ten pair of gloves under the umbrella. Ten pairs.

LINN GRANT: Yeah.

Q. How many you got?

LINN GRANT: I don't know. I just walked out with one or two in the bag I think.

Q. Okay. That's not too bad.

LINN GRANT: No.

Q. More than one in any case. Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Any other questions?

Q. Speaking of conditions, they are going to be challenging this week. You've played in all different conditions and had a lot of success. How do you adjust when you're practicing and it may not be as wet and chilly, and what adjustments to you make when it is that kind of condition?

LINN GRANT: I think the toughest thing is you come out this week and you expect it to be 25, 30 degrees and sunny and this morning on the range it was just cold and a bit windy.

But I think the best thing that works for me is just to lower my expectations of anything and just expect everything and nothing at the same time.

Just do what I have to do.

Q. How much more difficult do you think this course being wet makes it? I have thing is uphill for most of the back nine. How much more difficult is this course in weather conditions?

LINN GRANT: Yeah, so it's been soft all week. You know, you kind of have some advantage carrying the ball further. I do think it's nice because you can -- it's easier to adjust than the other way around. I've played this course really firm as well and it gets so difficult.

I'm really happy it's not in that way. I think it's going to be great. As of right now looks like the course is going to be further, but it's also going to be possible to really go for the pins and get really close out there.

THE MODERATOR: All right, I think we'll wrap it up. Thank you, Linn, for joining us.

LINN GRANT: Thank you.

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