grant wins US women’s open qualifier

Swedish amateur Linn Grant fired rounds of 67 and 70 to win the 36-hole US Women’s Open Sectional Qualifier held the Buckinghamshire Golf Club by an impressive seven shots

The 18-year-old from Helsingborg, who was the only player to finish under par, will head to Shoal Creek Golf Club in Alabama to play in her first Major championship on May 31-June 3.

She will be joined by Catriona Matthew, Mel Reid and Sarah Schober, while Sophie Walker, who was pipped by Schober at the second play-off hole, will be the first alternate.

Grant, a member of the 2017 European Ping Junior Solheim Cup team, took a two-stroke lead after posting an opening 67 in blustery conditions and she carried her form into the afternoon with a two-under-par 70, despite making a double bogey on the par-3 third.

“This course is so long compared to the ones I usually play, so that’s the biggest difference,” said the 2017 Ladies British Open Amateur Stroke Play Champion, who had her father John as her caddie.

Looking ahead to the US Women’s Open, she said: “My goal is always to win, but that would be crazy. Even though it’s a big event and a new thing, I’ll do my best and it will be good to test my game against the others.”

The 2019 Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew earned the second spot after rounds of 69 and 75, for a total of level par.

She said: “I actually played really well, but I had a pathetic last three holes, especially 17 and 16, but all you have to do is get into that top four. It doesn’t matter if you are first or fourth. I’m there, which is good. Shoal Creek will be a new experience.”

Reid rallied back from an opening 75 to card a 71 in the afternoon for a total of two-over and she said: “It was a day of two halves. I wasn’t 100 per cent happy this morning. I was pretty disappointed. This afternoon I had to get off to a fast start. The Buckinghamshire a much tougher golf course now, as they have made some changes, and the wind exaggerated that. I tried to get back to level and made a great birdie on 16, disappointed to make bogey on 17, but holed a great eight-footer on the last.

Reid added: “Hopefully this is the turning point in my season. I made a few changes the last couple of weeks, so it’s relief more than anything. I gave myself a lot to do after this morning. I had five three-putts or something stupid. I played a lot more solid this afternoon so I’m glad to get the job done.”

Schober almost blew her chances when she finished bogey, double bogey to tie for fourth place with Heather Macrae, Christine Wolf, Rachael Goodall and Sophie Walker. However, she eventually defeated Walker with a par on the second play-off hole.