Linn Grant missed a chance to become the second LPGA Tour player to break 60. Putting herself in position for a breakthrough victory in the Dana Open was a big consolation on a long, rainy Saturday at Highland Meadows.
Nine under on her first 13 holes, Grant played the final five in even par for a 9-under 62. Fellow Swede Annika Sorenstam is the lone LPGA Tour player to shoot 59, accomplishing the feat in the 2001 Standard Register Ping at par-72 Moon Valley in Phoenix.
“There was a spectator who called it out in my face,” Grant said when asked if she thought about a 59. “He just came up to me and he said, `Do you think you have a 59 in you?’ And then all of a sudden I was like, `Oh, God.’ So, I just tried to just not focus on it at all.”
Two strokes back entering the round, Grant had an 18-under 195 total to take a six-stroke lead over U.S. Women’s Open champion Allisen Corpuz (68), Stephanie Kyriacou (65), Maria Fassi (67), Matilda Castren (67) and Emily Pedersen (67).
Seeking her first LPGA Tour victory, 24-year-old Grant won the Jabra Ladies Open in May in France for her fifth Ladies European Tour title in two seasons.
Grant opened with a par Saturday and birdied the next four. After a rain delay of 3 hours, 48 minutes, she resumed play on No. 8 and added a birdie on No. 9 for a front-nine 29. She holed out from 148 yards for eagle on the par-4 11th and birdied Nos. 12 and 13.
“Eleven was amazing,” Grant said. “I hit a really good drive and a really good second shot, it just took one bounce pretty much and went in. I think it’s my first hole-out eagle, probably. Just really cool.”
Needing to play the final five in 3 under for a 59, the former Arizona State player parred the next two, bogeyed the par-4 16th, birdied the par-5 17th and parred the par-5 18th.
“After, probably, 13 I just felt like it was maybe going a bit too fast,” Grant said. “So, just starting to get nervous and felt like I didn’t have control over the situation at all. So, I just held back a little bit. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but I felt like that was what I needed to do. So just really happy that I took control of the situation.”
Corpuz won the U.S. Women’s Open a week ago at Pebble Beach for her first tour title. She played alongside Grant and second-round leader Annie Park in the final group.
“Linn absolutely lit it up today,” Corpuz said. “I’m hoping the best for her tomorrow. I mean, no one’s going to catch up if she plays the way she did today.”
Park had a 71 to drop into a tie for seventh at 11 under with Minjee Lee (67).
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