There’s a saying on the Swedish National Team: “It’s us against the world.” Even at individual events, the Swedes make a point to cheer each other on. That hasn’t changed since Linn Grant and Maja Stark both turned professional last August.
Since then, they’ve won a combined 14 times around the world, with Grant famously beating the men at the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed, and Stark winning last week at the ISPS Handa World Invitational to earn her LPGA card.
“If it’s not me,” said Grant, “she’s the No. 1 I want to see win.”
This week at the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series event in Spain, Grant met 2023 European Solheim Cup captain Suzann Pettersen for the first time. Stark and Grant have talked about playing together in a Solheim. Linn believes they’re actually undefeated in foursomes play, representing Sweden together on numerous occasions and winning the historic Sunningdale Foursomes in 2019.
“Maja said it would be quite silly not to put us together, actually,” said Grant, a former ASU standout who now ranks 56th in the world. Stark, who is not in this week’s event, rose to No. 45 in the Rolex Rankings after Sunday’s victory.
Nelly Korda and big sister Jessica headline the field at the La Reserva Club de Sotogrande, where the competition takes place August 18-20. The American stars made their debut on the Aramco Team Series last fall in New York, with Jessica’s team coming out on top in a playoff that finished under the lights.
The Aramco Team Series Sotogrande is one of six Saudi-backed events on the LET schedule. The events remain controversial given the wide-ranging human rights abuses Saudi Arabia has been accused of, especially toward women.
The first two days of the event feature 36 teams vying for a $500,000 purse. The final 18 holes will feature professionals only, with another $500,000 at stake. European Solheim Cup stars on hand this week include Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Anna Nordqvist, who was recently announced as one of Pettersen’s vice captains along with Dame Laura Davies and Caroline Martens.
The Solheim Cup will be contested in Spain for the first time in 2023, and Grant and Stark are primed to give the Americans a good deal of grief.
The two Swedes, who are close in age and grew up in the same area of Sweden, weren’t always close. Quite the contrary, in fact.
“I know for sure that she didn’t like me at all prior to getting to know me,” said Grant with a laugh,…
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