VIENNA - Brittany Lincicome didn't show any side effects from a seven-day layoff.
The LPGA Tour professional made her annual visit to the Mid-Ohio Valley with her fifth consecutive appearance at the Rotary Sour Mash Memorial conducted Monday at Parkersburg Country Club.
The 26-year-old native of St. Petersburg, Fla., displayed her trademark - otherwise known as her breath-taking drives - time and time again until the final hole when she hooked her tee shot toward a line of trees on the left side of the fairway.
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Photos by Jeff Baughan
Three-year-old Macen Meadows, right, son of Brittany Lincicome’s caddy, Mitch Meadows, and Lincicome await her turn to tee off Monday during the annual Sour Mash Memorial.
"I was hitting it really well, which was nice - I don't think I missed a fairway until the 18th hole where I tried to hit it really, really hard," Lincicome said. "That never works, and I know better than that."
Lincicome and her playing partner, PGA professional Scott Davidson from Parkersburg Country Club, played 18 holes of exhibition golf against a featured foursome of Ross Draber, Mike Lewis, Scott Wilson and Chad Mildren. Playing a best-ball format, Lincicome's team came up three strokes short of winning despite posting a 6-under par 67.
"I don't want to blame it on the golf course because I think it is a great layout and you have to drive it straight, but the greens were a little bit slower than I was used to," Lincicome explained. "The first couple of holes, Ross was the man then Mike kind of took over at the end."
More than 100 people filled the galleries as the golfers made their way through the back nine. Many family and friends, both from Parkersburg where her father, Tom, attended high school, and additional representatives from Point Pleasant where her mother, Angie, was raised, followed the seven-year pro from the time she stepped on the grounds at PCC for her morning clinic until she finished her exhibition round later that afternoon.
"Each year, this event gives somebody else a different chance to play with myself and kind of learn a little bit about the LPGA," Lincicome said. "They have some great questions out there, or they just want to hang out and have a good time.
"Nobody ever seems to be too intense, so it makes for an easy day. Everybody is out there walking with you down the middle of the fairway. It's really funny to see everybody driving around in their golf carts, so it's a very easy laid-back day."
More than a week has passed since the U.S. Women's Open where Lincicome finished in a tie for 18th place. She was in a three-way tie for the lead after the first round while shooting 3-under 69, but barely made the cut for the weekend following an 80 in the second round.
"I felt like I was in so much control on Thursday," Lincicome said. "I knew where the ball was going and I knew where my putts were going. It was super easy, then Friday I couldn't do anything right. I hit the fairway bunker on the first hole and hit a pitching wedge to within 15 to 20 feet, then three-putted.
"I hit such an amazing second hit, then to three-putt it just kind of killed the hopes and I couldn't recover. It was like an out-of-body experience, but it was nice to finish in the top 20."
Lincicome returned to her home in Seminole, Fla., today then departs for France on Sunday when she will compete in the Evian Masters. After winning twice last year on the LPGA Tour, she still is seeking that elusive first victory in 2012. She has come close several times with three Top 10 finishes, and still has on her schedule the Women's British Open in September.
Currently, she ranks 27th on the money list with $275,110.
"I still have a chance to win a major, and to win any tournament at this point would be an amazing accomplishment," Lincicome said. "I feel like I've been really close a couple of times, but there is always one day that throws me off."
