Linn Grant leads, Rose Zhang two back at 2023 Dana Open

Seeing Linn Grant at the top of a leaderboard should come as no surprise.

The 24-year-old from Sweden has hardly competed in the United States since earning her LPGA card in 2021 because of COVID-19 vaccination travel restrictions. She managed to keep her card by competing in events only held outside the U.S., recording four top-eight finishes in the span of six events.

In her latest starts this year, both at majors, she placed T-20 at the KPMG Women’s PGA at Baltusrol and T-53 at the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach. Now, she’s leading the way at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio, for the 2023 Dana Open.

A birdie from Linn Grant on her final hole gives her the solo lead at 64 (-7) 🙌 pic.twitter.com/HnDn1sf3Lp

— LPGA (@LPGA) July 13, 2023

Grant opened with a 7-under 64 Thursday to take a one-shot lead after the morning wave.

“I think coming off last week, playing at Pebble, it was a challenge,” Grant said. “I felt last week that I really hit the ball well and I was putting well. Obviously coming here, you know, easier conditions. That kind of just suited my mindset for the day. I just got on a roll.”

Ariya Jutanugarn and Emily Kristine Peterson each sit at 6 under, but guess who’s at 5 under?

That’s right, it’s Rose Zhang. The 20-year-old star is making her fourth professional start and coming off a T-9 finish at the U.S. Women’s Open, her worst finish thus far. A reminder, Zhang won the Mizuho Americas Open in her debut and placed T-8 at the KPMG Women’s PGA.

Zhang is T-4, along with Bailey Tardy, Aditi Ashok and Linnea Johansson.