Brittany Lincicome wins first LPGA Tour event of 2017 in Bahamas
Sunday 29 January 2017 21:49, UK
Brittany Lincicome claimed the opening LPGA Tour title of the season after edging out Lexi Thompson in a play-off at the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic.
Lincicome recovered from bogeys at 14 and 17 to birdie the final hole in regulation to cap a five-under 68 and take the clubhouse lead on 26 under par, and Thompson left her putt for the win short moments later in a torrential storm.
The leading pair, who finished a shot clear of Stacy Lewis, returned to the 18th tee and it needed only one extra hole to decide the winner on Paradise Island.
Lincicome hit the green in two at the par-five, while Thompson's second was long and left although she managed to stab a hybrid to within 12 feet of the cup.
Lincicome's lag putt for eagle came up just short and left her a tap-in for birdie, and she was crowned champion when Thompson's putt to extend the contest drifted past the left side on the hole.
It was a seventh career LPGA Tour title for Lincicome, and her first since clinching her second major victory at the ANA Inspiration in April 2015.
The 31-year-old had started the final round in fourth place, but she surged up the leaderboard with five birdies over the first seven holes before adding another at the 10th to claim the outright lead.
But her two late mistakes looked to have cost her until she got one of the shots back at the last while Thompson, who was one of only two American winners on Tour last season, mixed five birdies with bogeys at the ninth and 12th in her closing 70.
Lewis shared the overnight lead with Thompson and made four birdies in six holes on the front nine to stay tied at the top, but she came to grief at the 14th as she ran up a triple-bogey seven.
She responded well with birdies at 15 and 18 to finish in outright third place and one ahead of Gerina Piller, who joined the leading group at 26 under with her fifth birdie of the day at the 11th only to bogey 14 and 17 in a disappointing 71.
England's Mel Reid enjoyed an encouraging first start as a full LPGA Tour member as she closed on 15 under after an eight-birdie 67, although a bogey-six at the last cost her a top-10 finish.
