By Matt Smith
Sweden’s Linn Grant kept up her sensational season as she claimed her second Ladies European Tour title in five starts in 2022 thanks to a final-round 67 at the Mithra Belgian Ladies Open.

The 22-year-old, who won the Joburg Ladies Open in March, followed up her opening three rounds of 66, 68 and 67 to sustain her remarkable form to hold off England’s Cara Gainer at Naxhelet Golf Club.

Grant maintained her lead on the front nine with birdies on three and nine, before she went toe-to-toe with Gainer on the back nine.

Birdies on 10 and 12, as well as a crucial eagle on the 14th put the Swede back in pole position, and a dropped shot on 16 put the duo level before Grant made a par on the last to win her second title with a total of 15-under-par.

“I was playing good all day, but I felt I needed something to get me on top of the leaderboard and I knew Cara was playing so well,” said Grant. “I was a little scared, but I managed to hole that eagle putt and make my way back in for the win.

“I was checking the leaderboard all the time just making sure everything was under control, which it wasn’t! It wasn’t under control, but I tried my best to keep up with her. On the last hole, I knew I just had to do my own thing.

“I think both me and Maja [Stark] and some other amateur girls had a good education before turning pro, so I’m not surprised we’re doing well, but this is a good start.”

It was an exceptional day for Gainer who fired a stunning 64, which was the joint-best round of the week, to finish in second place.

After rolling in five birdies on her front nine, the Englishwoman applied pressure to Grant and rolled in four more birdies on holes 10 through to 14.

A dropped shot at the last proved crucial, as she ended up with a total of 14-under, but it was still Gainer’s career-best round and best finish on the LET.

“I’m so pleased, if you said I was going to shoot eight-under today I would have taken it straight away,” she said.

“I can’t be disheartened about the finish and Linn has played amazing all week, so I’ve got to be happy about the week in general.

“I did see on the last hole that we were tied, did that add a bit of pressure? I don’t know, but I wanted to see where I stood going into the final hole.

“Yesterday, I struggled a bit with the cameras, but today I thought to take every shot as it comes and make as many birdies as possible because I knew Linn wasn’t going to go backwards, she was only going to go forwards. I gave it a go!”

Maja Stark, who leads the 2022 Race to Costa del Sol, also shot a round of 64 (-8) on the final day to secure a T3 finish alongside Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux.

“I made some stupid mistakes this week, today could have gone better. I had some lip outs, but it feels good and 64 is my best round ever during a tournament,” said Stark. “I’m super excited, I feel like my game is there and I just need to skip the stupid mistakes.”

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