Linn Grant makes history as first woman to win on European Tour in mixed event's second year
For the first time in European Tour history, a woman is heading home with the trophy.
Linn Grant became the first female player to win when she led the field at the Scandinavia Mixed event on Sunday at Halmstad Golf Club in Sweden. And it wasn't close. She shot an 8-under 64 on Sunday and 24-under par overall, the best mark of the season on the DP World Tour. It was good enough to finish nine strokes ahead of Henrik Stenson and Marc Warren, who tied for second.
"[It's] huge," Grant said in the post-game TV interview. "Just playing at home and having crowds here, my family by my side, boyfriend on the bag, I mean it's crazy and I'm just proud of myself and really happy."
Grant, a 22-year-old Swede, turned professional last year and notched wins already on the Ladies European Tour in March and May. It is her third win in six starts.
History maker 🏆#VolvoScandinavianMixed pic.twitter.com/PULtMMRmaz
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 12, 2022
It was the second running of the event that begins with 78 men and 78 women playing for one prize fund, this year at $2 million, and one trophy. Players accrue points for the PGA European Tour or the Ladies European Tour.
Grant entered the final round with a two-shot lead. She shot a 66 on Saturday to take the top spot over Jason Scrivener. Scrivener was the halfway leader and led for most of the day until Grant heated up, hitting an eagle from 75 feet on the 11th and logging four birdies.
"I think it is fun, I am here to do my golf and I hope that takes me all the way and if it does, then I'll take it for the women," Grant said after Saturday's round, via the Associated Press.
"I hope that people realize that we're actually getting there, getting close to the guys and having the same journey the men have had for the last 30 or 40 years.
"To really just put women's golf on the map a little bit more than it is at the moment, we can hit it far enough and close to the pin and hole some putts and do good scoring."
Out of the clubhouse for the final round on Sunday, she birdied five of the first six holes. Grant took a nine-stroke lead with a birdie on the par-5 11th. She totaled eight birdies on a bogey-free weekend. It wasn't until late in the round she realized she had grown a big lead, she said, and was able to take a deep exhale. She said she thought it might have been three or four, not eight at the time.
The moment Linn Grant put herself in the history books 🏆#VolvoScandinavianMixed pic.twitter.com/TWGVXNlCpM
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 12, 2022
Her boyfriend, Pontus, was her caddie for the week and her parents were in attendance to see the historic moment.
"I just hope that people recognize women's golf, more sponsors go to the LET and hopefully this pumps up the women's game a little bit more," Grant said of the historic aspect of the win.
Grant's grandfather, James, played professional golf for Scotland. He emigrated from Iverness in the northern part of the country to Helsingborg in Sweden, per the Associated Press. Grant's father, John, also played professionally on the Swedish Golf Tour. John completed his career with seven wins — a mark his daughter is swiftly approaching.
The event is hosted by Stenson and Annika Sorenstam. Sorenstam finished the first two rounds 5-over and missed the cut. Gabriella Cowley, the second-highest placing woman, tied for 15 at 14 strokes behind Grant.
