Brittany Lincicome won the Kraft Nabisco Championship in Women’s Golf. Lincicome won the first major golf title of her career. Congratulations!
The 23-year-old American hit her approach shot to within 3 feet of the pin and rolled in her putt to finish with a 3-under-par 69, one shot ahead of Cristie Kerr and Kristy McPherson.
“That absolutely was the best shot of my life,” she said.
Lincicome, who had never led in the final round until the 72nd hole, trailed by three early on before her grandstand finish gave her a nine-under total of 279.
“It happened at the perfect time and moment,” she said.
Lincicome carded a final-round 69 for a nine-under total of 279 and the victory in the first women's major of 2009.
Kerr, a former US Women's Open champion, closed with a 71 and McPherson posted a 72 to finish on 280.
Down by one at the 18th tee, Lincicome belted a drive that left her 210 yards to the pin.
She hit a hybrid wedge that curled back within four feet of the hole.
"Huge shot on 18," Lincicome said. "My hands are shaking and my heart is racing. I'm trying to calm myself down by breathing or singing or whatever I can possibly do, and right when I hit it, it came off on the clubface exactly where we wanted to hit it and took the slope like I wanted it to and came really close, thank God."
McPherson, seeking her first LPGA Tour victory, led by one after 17 holes and couldn't convert a 25-footer for birdie at the last.
"Going down 18, I told my caddie, 'Tees are up, we have got to make birdie,' because Brittany is one of the few people that can hit a club in there that's going to stop where it did, and so we were just - it was a very awkward yardage," McPherson said.
"It was either a baby pitching wedge or bust a gap wedge. ... I was counting on a big kick to stride to get it close. Wanted to make the putt to take it to extra holes."
Kerr, who also was a stroke back at the 18th tee, drained her birdie putt from the fringe to put the pressure on Lincicome.
"I gave it everything I had," said Kerr, whose approach slid past the hole. "I made the putt, because a four-footer to win the tournament for eagle is a little shaky, but she got a read off me, too."
McPherson went into the round with a one-stroke lead, and had a near hole-in-one at the par-three 17th, where her tee shot bounced off the flagstick.
She missed a short birdie putt, but neither Lincicome nor Kerr could make their birdie attempts.
Australian Lindsey Wright closed with a 70 to finish in sole possession of fourth place on 282 while Norway's Suzann Pettersen (66) and Meaghan Francella (69) tied for fifth.
Defending champion Lorena Ochoa of Mexico finished eight adrift on 287, chipping in for eagle at the last to complete a 69.
Playing in the all-American final threesome, she became the first U.S. winner in the last six women’s majors. Kerr was the last to do so in the 2007 U.S. Openother hot stories:
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