Brittany Lincicome Wins Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic For The 2nd Straight Year, Henderson Finishes 9th

Brittany Lincicome

(Twitter.com/PureSilkLPGA)

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (Canadian Press with files from Golf Canada) — Brittany Lincicome beat darkness — with help from floodlights on the Ocean Club’s 18th green — to win the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic for the second straight year.

Lincicome birdied the final two holes and four of the last five for a 7-under 65 and a two-stroke victory over Wei-Ling Hsu in the event cut to 54 holes after wind wiped out play most of Friday.

“I try not to look at the leaderboard, so I was just hoping whatever was happening was in my group,” Lincicome said. “I was just trying to keep up with those girls (Shanshan Feng and Amy Yang). I played with two great girls today. I knew it was going to be tough and my putter really saved me all day. I made a lot of great par saves and birdies coming in.”

Lincicome completed a second-round 67 in the morning, playing nine holes in 3 under, to begin the final round two strokes behind the top-ranked Feng.

“It is grinding, but luckily I was playing well today, so to play 27 holes it wasn’t as bad,” Lincicome said. “It is definitely a grind. I felt we had the better draw because I got to sleep in most mornings and not get up at 5 a.m. every day, but it’s definitely draining a little bit.”

The 32-year-old Lincicome won her eighth career title. She finished at 12-under 207. Last year, she beat Lexi Thompson in a playoff.

Hsu closed with a 68. Feng had a 71 to tie for third with Amy Yang (70) at 9 under. Thompson (71) was 7 under with Danielle Kang (68), Nelly Korda (69) and Bronte Law (69).

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., the leader Saturday night when play was suspended because of darkness, shot a 72 to finish ninth at 6 under. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (70) tied for 18th at 3 under and Maude-Aimee Leblanc (79) was 6 over.

Brooke Henderson is one of just three players to post multiple wins in each of the last two seasons (two in 2016, two in 2017), alongside World No. 1 Shanshan Feng (two in 2016, two in 2017) and 2016 Rolex Player of the Year Ariya Jutanugarn (five in 2016, two in 2017).

The earliest Henderson has captured a win in a full season on the LPGA came in her 15th start of the year, in both 2016 (KPMG Women’s PGA Championship) and 2017 (Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give).