BELLEAIR, Fla. — Linn Grant rolled in a pair of 15-foot putts amongst her 5 birdies that carried her to a 5-under 65 on Saturday for a one-shot lead in The Annika as she tries to increase her streak to 6 years with no less than one win worldwide.
Grant missed just one inexperienced and two fairways at Pelican Golf Membership, choosing up her final birdie when she received up-and-down from a greenside bunker on the par-5 14th.
She was at 14-under 196, one shot forward of Jennifer Kupcho, who additionally performed bogey free on a pristine afternoon within the Tampa Bay space.
Nataliya Guseva of Russia made all seven of her birdies over the ultimate 10 holes for a 63 that left her two photographs behind together with Evian Championship winner Grace Kim (68).
“I hit a number of greens. I feel that is been my secret this week,” Grant mentioned. “Simply actually being very assured with my iron recreation, feeling like I can actually go after pins. I am having a number of enjoyable on the market.”
She has gone 35 holes and not using a bogey heading into the ultimate spherical, the place the 26-year-old Swede will go after her second LPGA win. Grant, who performed at Arizona State, has gained on the Nordic Golf League twice as an beginner, the Sunshine Girls Tour in South Africa, the Girls European Tour and the LET Entry Collection courting to 2020.
Grant is working out of time for a win in 2025, with solely this occasion and the CME Group Tour Championship left on the LPGA schedule.
Kupcho stayed along with her for a lot of the day, although she complained about having to attend on too many photographs. Kupcho attributed the tempo to the course taking part in about 100 yards shorter.
“I feel the setup was nonetheless positive. They do a extremely good job establishing this golf course yearly,” Kupcho mentioned. “It is a little bit irritating whenever you’re the leaders or behind the pack and having to attend on each shot.”
Defending champion Nelly Korda, winless this yr after seven titles a yr in the past, overcame some early bogeys with three birdies in a four-hole stretch towards the top of her spherical to maneuver nearer to the lead. However her 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th grazed the lip, and she or he missed the 4-foot par putt coming again and shot 68.
Korda, who shot a 63 within the second spherical to get inside three of the lead, was six photographs behind.
“At the moment was type of like the primary day the place nothing was actually type of going however then discovered a number of perhaps on the previous few holes after which ended the spherical poorly,” Korda mentioned.
