Five-time Ladies European Tour winner Linn Grant continued her tear on Saturday morning at the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play presented by MGM Rewards, defeating Ecuadorian Daniela Darquea 4 and 3 in the round of 16. Grant parred the first hole to go 1 up early and then tied the next four holes with Darquea, extending her lead to 2 up with a birdie on the par-4, 6th. After the pair tied No. 7, Grant went on a run, going birdie-birdie-par on holes 8, 9 and 10 to further her advantage, moving to 5 up with eight holes to play. Darquea got herself back to 4 down with a birdie on the par-4, 11th, but Grant erased that effort with a win on No. 12, now 5 up once again. Although she won the 14th hole with a par, Darquea was unable to mount a late charge with four holes to go, handing Grant her fourth victory of the week and a berth in this afternoon’s quarterfinals.
“I had a lot of good wedges into the greens. Par-3s were solid. The par-5s, especially 9 isn't too long today, so if you can get at that ball to stay on the green and two-putt you have a birdie there. Just tried to not think too much of score but what I can do for each shot and how good I can make it,” Grant said. “Good playing from my part and Daniela as well. It was a really good game.”
This week at Shadow Creek marks Grant’s third start of the 2023 season and her first start in the United States since she earned LPGA Tour membership at 2021 LPGA Q-Series. In her two previous starts at the Honda LPGA Thailand and HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, Grant finished T38 and T14, respectively, and has now locked up her first top-10 finish of the year. With the quarterfinals on deck Saturday afternoon, Grant is now playing with house money and can go for broke, continuing to use everything she’s learned this week as she pursues a spot in the Sunday semifinals.
“Kind of feel like for every day passing I get to know my game a little bit more, get to know the course better, and get more comfortable out there,” Grant said. “Going to have lunch and then probably warm up a little bit and then go out there.”
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