By Paul Prendergast.
Photo: Getty Images
Linn Grant made history in front of her home fans as she stormed to a stunning nine-shot victory at the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed to become the first female winner of a DP World Tour event.
The 22-year-old Swede produced a nerveless display of frontrunning on Sunday to keep a host of DP World Tour stars at bay and claim her third Ladies European Tour title in just six starts this season.
Grant’s victory in a mixed field event emulates the performance of Australian Hannah Green who won the TPS Murray River event in commanding fashion earlier this year.
Grant did not put a foot wrong at Halmstad Golf Club on day four, stretching her overnight lead from two shots to seven with five birdies in the first six holes. Spurred on by the enormous crowds that followed her wherever she went, Grant picked up further shots at the 11th and 14th to sign for a flawless 64, topping the leaderboard at 24-under par to win by the biggest margin on the DP World Tour so far this season.
“I’m speechless and I’m so happy that I’m at home just to see all the kids and my family is here and everyone that I care about is watching, so it’s really nice. I was actually surprisingly calm on the first tee. My first day with Annika (Sorenstam) was my most scary and stressful one, so today on the first fairway I told my caddie that I was very calm and it’s very doable today to play with this.”
“I felt happy and relieved and to be able to get in the zone and just enjoy golf for a last day was very nice.”
“I hope this victory is big. I hope it brings women more forward and it gets people’s eyes on us a little bit more. It is always nice to say that you beat the guys for a week! To be able to speak Swedish and hear everyone out there cheering for you, it was amazing.”
“It’s a nice feeling. All week I just felt like it’s the girls against the guys and whoever picks up that trophy represents the field.”
Home hero and tournament co-host Henrik Stenson finished in a tie for second on 15 under alongside Scotland’s Marc Warren, with back-to-back birdies at the 17th and 18th helping Stenson to a closing 70.
“I think in the end I ended up tied second with a couple of late birdies and the only thing I could have done better was solo second, because there was just one player out there today and she played amazing.” Stenson enthused.
“Every time I looked back, she was in prime position and just gave herself birdie chance one after another I would imagine, so there wasn’t much I could do against a player like that. So very well played and congratulations to Linn.”
