LINCICOME LOOKING FOR CONSISTENCY IN 2018
A year removed from a shaving cream shower on the 18th green at Ocean Club Golf Course, 2017 Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic winner and Pure Silk ambassador Brittany Lincicome is back to defend this week at the site of her seventh career LPGA win.
“It’s very exciting obviously being one of my sponsors this week, to come back to the Bahamas and be our first start to the season,” Lincicome said on Wednesday. “What better place than to be here in the Bahamas?”
In 2017, the Florida native led a field that blitzed the par-73 Tom Weiskopf design and broke tournament scoring records for 18, 36, 54 and 72 holes. The 26-under par total shot by Lincicome and Lexi Thompson was just one shot shy of the LPGA record for a 72-hole score in relation to par set by Annika Sorenstam (2001 Standard Register PING) and Sei Young Kim (2016 JTBC Founders Cup). The 31-year-old Lincicome would go on to defeat Thompson, the top-ranked American, with a birdie on the first playoff hole for her first win since the 2015 ANA Inspiration.
TOURNAMENT SCORING RECORDS
18 holes: 61 (-12), Lexi Thompson, second round, 2017
36 holes: 129 (-17), Brittany Lincicome, 2017
54 holes: 196 (-23), Lexi Thompson, Stacy Lewis, 2017
72 holes: 266 (-26), Brittany Lincicome*, Lexi Thompson, 2017
*won on the first playoff hole
“I didn’t even think I had that many birdies in my game,” said Lincicome. “It obviously showed me a lot last year that when I’ve seen the leaderboards before and these high 20s are winning the tournaments under par, I never thought that was even possible.”
Lincicome listed consistency as her main goal of 2018, with the aim of playing well in the major championships and making the Team USA roster at the 2018 UL International Crown.
THOMPSON IN THE ZONE IN BAHAMAS
What does it feel like to be in the zone for Lexi Thompson? “I would say it’s when you’re so focused and just so confident within yourself that you just free up and you let yourself go,” said Thompson, who will tee off at 8:16 a.m. with Shanshan Feng and Nelly Korda in the first round at the 2018 Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. Her sights are set to top last season’s success but with “the same attitude, same preparation and same positive attitude going into every one.”
The Bahamas provides a comfortable season-opening event for Thompson, who is coming off a golf-free off season while recovering from a hand injury.
“It was definitely needed, but as you know I had trouble with my hand,” she said. “I had to rest it and got some MRIs done and everything. Just overuse. But it was a lot needed time off.”
At last year’s event, Thompson lost in a playoff to Brittany Lincicome despite having shot a 12-under par, 61, in the second round, the second lowest score in relation to par in LPGA history behind Annika Sorenstam’s 13-under 59 at the 2001 Standard Register PING. Thompson remembered, “I hit it over the green and I chipped in, then I made eagle on the next hole, then I went birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie … I got on quite the roll.”
Playing with a new driver (the Cobra F8) and a new putter (the Happy Putter) this week, Thompson looks forward to getting back into the swing of things. “It’s hard to focus on the golf with the amazing views that we got on the golf course here,” she said, “but glad to be starting up and looking forward to the week.”
OF NOTE
- The 2017 Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic was the first time Americans finished first through fifth on the LPGA Tour since the 2011 Canadian Women’s Open.
- Lincicome was one of five American winners in 2017 (Danielle Kang; Cristie Kerr, 2; Stacy Lewis; Lincicome; Lexi Thompson, 2)
- Thompson’s second-round 12-under 61 last year was the second-lowest score in relation to par in LPGA history, behind Annika Sorenstam’s 13-under 59 at the 2001 Standard Register PING.
- Lincicome and Thompson finished at -26, one shy of the LPGA scoring record of -27, also set by Sorenstam at the 2001 Standard Register PING and matched by Sei Young Kim at the 2016 JTBC Founders Cup.
- Thompson has won at least one LPGA event in each of the past five seasons, the longest current streak on the LPGA.
TV TIMES (all Eastern Time)
Thursday, Jan. 25: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Golf Channel
Friday, Jan. 26: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Golf Channel
Saturday, Jan. 27: 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m., Golf Channel
Sunday, Jan. 28: 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., Golf Channel
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