January 29, 2017

Brittany Lincicome made a birdie on the first playoff hole to best fellow countrywoman Lexi Thompson on the first playoff hole at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic.

“It was pretty incredible,” Lincicome said. “Just the leaderboard all week has been amazing, obviously a lot of Americans up at the top, obviously friends of mine, so to come down to the final stretch, I played with Lexi yesterday, and it was an awesome day. We had so much fun, and to obviously have the playoff today is a bummer, but it’s just incredible.”

Lincicome found her way into the playoff thanks to a clutch birdie on the 18th to close out her final round in 5-under, 68, and to post 26-under for the week. The win improves Lincicome to 2-4 all-time in playoffs with wins in her last two.

“Going into this week we talked about confidence, I wanted to work on my confidence, I wanted to be more confident out there,” Lincicome said. “I’m a good player. There is no reason why we’re not in contention more, so we had this whole long talk and she (Lincicome’s caddie Missy Pederson) told me, “Get out of your own way. We’re going to hit one shot at a time,” and that was the par 5, and I parred the par 5, which was kind of disappointing, but still she was, “One shot at a time, and we’ll see what happens,” but, no, I was shaking like a leaf and super uncomfortable for the last four or five holes. “

The win is the seventh of Lincicome’s career and first since the 2015 ANA Inspiration.

“It’s pretty crazy,” Lincicome admitted. “My husband (Dewald Gouws) doesn’t get to come to many events, so it’s pretty special that he was here this week and taking it in with me and enjoying all the festivities, and then obviously Pure Silk, Tom Murray mentioned before I was his first LPGA player that he signed, and now there’s 15 of us, so it’s just incredible so see how he’s grown and how many players he represents now and just how wonderful of a person him and his family are. “

While Thompson was disappointed with the finish she was able to take some positives from the week in the Bahamas.

“You know, I played well all week, and my putter definitely saved me, and I made a lot of birdies out there, just a lot of positives to take from the week,” Thompson said. “Brittany played amazing, amongst a lot of other players out there and it just got tough out there today, especially with three or four holes to go. That’s the hard stretch.”

Stacy Lewis finished third while Gerina Piller rounded out the top-4.

Quote of the day

“I’m going to the casino tonight, hopefully try not to lose all of our money that we won today. No, I haven’t been to the casino since Wednesday night, so I’m itching to go play.” -Brittany Lincicome on what she plans to do to celebrate her victory

Red, White and Blue leaderboard

The top-5 players on the leaderboard at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic hailed from the United States including champion Brittany Lincicome. It was the first time that five Americas were in the top-5 on the leaderboard since the 2011 Canadian Women’s Open.

“I mean, the only thing I can think of is that it’s a Solheim Cup year, and everyone is fighting for points, myself included. I think it’s great,” Lincicome said. “Obviously I love seeing the Americans playing well, being an American, and it’s not like we don’t try to play well. We obviously all work very hard on our game, and it just shows how many wonderful players are out on the LPGA and how deep the field goes.”

Race to CME Globe Update

With her win at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic Brittany Lincicome took the early lead in the Race to CME Globe.

Heading into the fourth year of the Race to CME Globe, LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan announced some exciting changes to the 2017 Race to the CME Globe via a Twitter video from Daytona International Speedway. The video kicked off a new social media campaign #CMERaceReady where players, sponsors, tournaments and fans are encouraged to show how they are getting ready for the 2017 LPGA Tour season and the Race to CME Globe.

In 2017, the reset points for the Race to the CME Globe will be modified slightly. As a result of these modifications:
•The Top Five (5) Finishers entering Naples will control their own destiny at the CME Group Tour Championship - meaning if they win in Naples, they will also win the $1M CME Globe.
•The top twelve (12) finishers entering Naples will have a mathematical chance to win the $1M CME Globe.
•Please note that previously, the Top 3 controlled their destiny and Top 9 had a mathematical chance

Click here for full scores & prize money.

Round 3 - Lewis and Thompson share-hole lead

January 28, 2017

Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson share the 54-hole lead at 23-under-par entering the final-round of the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic.

“I couldn’t tell you,” Lewis said of the key to her day. “That was probably the best round I think I’ve ever shot on Tour in relation to par, so just a cool day. I didn’t exactly hit it perfect, got away with a few shots, but just took advantage of it, and I didn’t even know what I shot there at the end of the day.“

Lewis, who tied the low round of the day with a 10-under 63, had seven birdies, one bogey and two eagles on her card.

“I knew I needed to be aggressive out there today, and it wasn’t pretty at times, wasn’t perfect, but the scorecard turned out great,” Lewis admitted. “You’ve just gotta take advantage. When those missed hits work out good, you take advantage of it, and that’s what I did today."

Lewis will take a share of the 54-hole lead into a final-round for the first time since the 2015 Honda LPGA Thailand where she finished tied for second, one of her 11 runner-up finishes since her last victory.

“That’s where I wanted to be,” Lewis said of being in the final group. “When I walked up on 18, kind of said I needed that putt to make sure I was in that last group. I think it’s important just to kind of know what’s going on. I did a good job of not looking at leaderboard today, and I want to continue doing that so you get a feel for what’s going on. It’s definitely the goal. The goal coming in this week was to have a chance on Sunday, and I did that, so now it’s just go out there and play golf.“

Thompson, who shot a career-low 61 yesterday, backed it up with a solid bogey free 66.

“I replayed it a few times,” Thompson said of her second round 61. “I just like to think about the shots and the putts that I made, and it helps with confidence, but coming out here with no wind, it’s just you have to make a lot of birdies to make a move on anybody. I shot 7 under and I’m tied, so it’s crazy, but we will see what tomorrow will bring.”

Rounding out the final group will be Gerina Piller who sits a shot back at 22-under par.

“Really just keeping it in the fairway and keeping it close, and I have had several tap in birdies which always helps,” Piller said of the key to her day. “The greens are in great condition and that helps when you hit the ball on line. That’s what you gotta do to get it to go in, so hitting fairways and getting on the green.”

Due to the inclement weather forecasted for tomorrow afternoon, starting times for the final-round will be 8:00am – 10:23am, off of #1 and #10 tees in groups of three.

Nelly Korda ties low round of the day

Nelly Korda tied the round of the day, a 10-under 63, during the third-round of the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic to move from T32 into a tie for sixth.

“Truthfully just everything was clicking, so wherever I could get birdie, great, and wherever I could get par great, too,” Korda said. “I was just trying to hit the middle of the green. You know what, I made some really good shots and made some really great putts, so very fortunate.”

The LPGA rookie is excited to be making her debut on the LPGA Tour in the Bahamas.

“Really excited,” Korda said. “I’m so happy to be out here. It’s been my dream. I was definitely nervous my first day and my first nine holes, and I’m glad I kinda got those nerves out of way, and now I can play some golf. “

One thing that has helped Korda is having her older sister Jessica around for support.

“It’s been amazing. Her support is amazing. I was walking on the fairway on No. 18, and we gave each other a little high five. It’s great to have her out here. A dream come true, truthfully.“

Red, White and Blue leaderboard

Six of the top-8 players on the leaderboard at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic hail from the United States including 54-hole co-leaders Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson.

“It’s just proved that it’s always been there,” Lewis said. “Everybody asks if there’s been a problem, and there’s never been a problem, and it’s just proof of that. It’s good to see the girls we all put work in over the off time. We had a Solheim meeting, and Julie took us to dinner at CME, and she said that to everybody, “Get to work this off season. I know you guys want to take a break, but get to work,” and it’s kind of proof that they did, so it’s good.”

Numbers to know

•27 - The LPGA scoring record in relation to par for 72 holes is 27-under set the following times:
27, 261 (65-59-69-68) Annika Sorenstam, Moon Valley Country Club, Phoenix, Ariz., 2001 Standard Register PING, par 72
27, 261 (63-66-70-62) Sei Young Kim, Wildfire Golf Club, Phoenix, Ariz., 2016 JTBC Founders Cup, par 72
•10 - Stacy Lewis’ 10-under is the lowest score in relation to par in her career
•11 - Stacy Lewis has 11 runner-up finishes since her last victory which came at the 2014 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
•65 - Stacy Lewis has gone 65 events without a win, he last victory came at the 2014 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
•4 - Gerina Piller has four runner-up finishes and 31 top-10 finishes in her LPGA Career
•5 - Lexi Thompson is one of only five players on the LPGA or PGA Tour to have won an event in each of the last four seasons. Dustin Johnson (9 straight), Jimmy Walker (4 straight), Patrick Reed (4 straight) and Lydia Ko (5 straight) are the other four

Round 2 - Lincicome sets new 36-hole record

January 27, 2017

Brittany Lincicome has set a new 36-hole Tournament record of 129 with an 8-under par 65 breaking Jessica Korda's 2014 record by six strokes.

"The way it's been going the last two days, the putter has been making everything, which is obviously really fun, so if I can keep that up then it could be good on Sunday," Lincicome told the media. "I'm just playing well, and still made everything today.  Putter is on point right now, and it's exciting to see."

Lincicome sits at 17-under par, one stroke ahead of Lexi Thompson who herself posted a career-low 12-under par 61, a new course and Tournament scoring record and the first 12-under par round on a par 73 in LPGA Tour history. There have been eight 11-under par rounds on par 71,72 and 73 courses. Annika Sorenstam's 13-under par 59 in 2001

at the Standard Register PING on a par 72 is the current record which Thompson kept in mind during her round but knew it would be hard to achieve.

"I thought about it, but I just wanted to keep on playing my own game and see where it goes," Thompson told the media. "I was just pin seeking the whole day.  I was just trying to stay with my routine and have good tempo with my golf swing. That's just all I've been working on."

Her previous low round of 63 dates to 2013's

Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia when she won her second Tour title.

Round 1 - Lincicome takes Bahamas lead with new record

January 26, 2017

Brittany Lincicome starts her season in high gear with a new tournament scoring record. She opened the

Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic with a 9-under par 64 which tied the course record, 2 ahead of

Stacy Lewis, P.K. Kongkraphan and Megan Khang.

"I was making everything. 30-footers, 10-footers, five-footers. It was a pretty easy day," Lincicome said after her round. "I was driving it well, hitting it well, putting, making everything. It was one of those days where it's like wow, is it too good to be true for it to keep going for three more days?"

This was the two-time major champion's lowest round since 2011 (ShopRite LPGA Classic), her career low round came in 2010 at the CVS Pharmacy LPGA when she played 11-under par 61.

Scores