For the first time since 2020, Linnea Strom is back in the top 10 on the LPGA Tour. She shot 11-under (277) for a T4 finish – her best result since February of 2021 when she finished T4 at the ISPS Handa Vic Open.
“I’m just very happy and I feel like I keep proving to myself that I belong here,” Strom said after her 3-under final round. “I’m obviously still looking for that win, but I feel like it’s getting closer and closer. I’m just going to keep working hard and hopefully it’s going to come soon.
“I’m just very happy with this week, how I handled myself in the wind out there, and some tricky pins too. I’m very proud."
It’s been a long climb back into contention for the Swede. Strom first joined the LPGA as a rookie in 2019 after finishing fifth on the money list to graduate from the Epson Tour and finished sixth in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year standings. Her second season on Tour showed sparks of brilliance, including her career best T4 at the ISPS Handa Vic Open and a T9 at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G, but she struggled in her third season. The Swede made just eight cuts in 21 starts and returned to the Epson Tour for the 2022 season.
Fortunately, Strom had a remarkable year on the Epson Tour, finishing first in the Race for the Card and making her way back to the top women’s professional tour in just one short season. But Strom has returned to the LPGA a completely different player.
“I am a lot calmer,” she explained. “I’m back to being my happy self again. I think it was just nice to have a year on the Epson, take some pressure off myself and find my game again and trust it, getting some confidence back. I think I did that for sure, so I’m just very excited about having a full season on the LPGA ahead of me. I’m just very happy about being here.”
One of the biggest perks of being back on the LPGA Tour is getting to play with Swedish legends. Strom spent her first and second rounds playing alongside Australian Su Oh and 2018 Chevron champion Pernilla Lindberg, who also hails from Sweden. The 26-year-old made sure to appreciate her good luck and thoroughly enjoyed all the perks of playing with a fellow countrywoman.
“It was super fun,” Strom said Thursday. “Today and yesterday I really enjoyed it out on the course. It’s just fun to be able to speak Swedish and have a good shoutout there. It’s even more fun when we both play well.
“Ever since I turned pro I think we became pretty good friends. She’s been someone that I’ve been looking up to when I was younger as well, so it’s just very fun to be on tour and have Pernilla.”
Lindberg agreed that it was fun to play with Strom and was happy to have the youngster back on tour – especially when Strom is playing well.
“We were joking at the start, it was like two holes where (Strom) holed it first and then both me and Su holed the birdie putts after,” Lindberg said. “We said Linnea kept opening up the hole for us.”
While she may not be taking home a trophy this weekend, Strom will be taking home plenty of good memories of playing with Lindberg and tons of confidence going into the first major of the season next week.
)
)
)
)
