Brittany Lincicome terminated a two-year victory drought on the LPGA Tour Sunday, despite bringing on board a new caddie just before the ShopRite tournament. The 25-year-old Lincicome finished the 54-hole tournament on the Bay Course at Seaview with an 11-under 202 total, and some of the success had to go to new caddie, former LPGA Tour player A.J. Eathorne. The two started working together at the Sybase Match Play Championship two weeks ago.
Lincicome made a 4-foot birdie putt after hitting a marvelous chip out of high, green-side fescue Sunday to win the ShopRite LPGA Classic for her fourth LPGA Tour title and first since the 2009 Kraft Nasbisco.
“It feels great,” Lincicome said. “It’s like you said, since ’09. You don’t know if you’re ever going to win again or if you’ll ever have your time. So it feels fantastic.”
Lincicome’s birdie capped a bogey-free 5-under 66 that gave her a one-shot victory over third-ranked Jiyai Shin and No. 4 Cristie Kerr. It was the long-hitting Lincicome’s first win since the 2009 Kraft Nabisco and her fourth on the LPGA tour.
Shin, who was tied with Lincicome heading to the final hole, left a 10-foot birdie putt on the edge of the hole. Lincicome then hit out of greenside fescue to 4 feet before making her winning birdie.
Kerr, who led Catriona Matthew by a shot heading into the final round, left an eagle putt from off the green about 4 feet short and settled for a birdie and a 69 that tied her for second with Shin (66).