Lincicome Wins ANA Inspiration in a Thriller


Brittany Lincicome eagled the par-5 18th hole to finish with a 3-under 69 and tied in regulation with fellow American Stacy Lewis, then beat her good friend on the third playoff hole to win the ANA Inspiration, the LPGA's first major of the year.

The $2.5 million ANA Inspiration is the new name of the former Kraft Nabisco Championship, an event previously won by both the 29-year-old Lincicome (2009) and 30-year-old Lewis (2011). The tournament has been held at the same venue since its 1972 inception - Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif. - and, despite chilly early evening temperatures, Lincicome took the traditional champion's leap in Poppie's Pond beside the 18th green after securing her second victory.

Lincicome got into the playoff after a dramatic eagle on the 18th. She hit a magnificent drive and then struck a 5-iron from 190 yards to 10 feet and made the putt to induce a huge roar from the crowd. The Florida native was similarly heroic on the 18th when she won six years ago, hitting a hybrid from 210 yards to 4 feet and making the victorious eagle for her first major among six career titles.

Lewis, playing in the last group with 54-hole leader Sei Young Kim, needed a birdie to win outright but couldn't close the deal, missing a 13-foot putt for birdie and finishing at 9-under 279, the same total as Lincicome. Kim began Sunday with a three-stroke lead but struggled to a 75 that included seven three-putts.

Lincicome and Lewis played the 18th three more times in the sudden-death playoff. The first two times down each player had their chances for birdie but only managed pars, with Lewis missing agonizing birdie attempts from 15 feet and 12 feet.

As the sun was setting below the nearby mountains, each player found the green with their third shots on their fourth visit to the 18th on Sunday. Lewis had the tougher approach shot as her lay-up found a sand-filled divot 103 yards from the pin.

If one of them didn't win it was possible play would have been halted due to darkness, sending the proceedings to a Monday finish.

But that didn't happen as Lincicome hit her third to 12 feet. From her bad lie Lewis hit her approach short of the green and chipped up to 10 feet. Playing next, Lincicome rolled her birdie try close and tapped in for her third straight par on the 18th. When Lewis missed her putt, Lincicome celebrated and began preparations for the leap in Poppies Pond.

Lincicome, who earned $375,000, later said she was simply playing golf when her eagle landed. "The first time [on 18] it felt fairly easy because I thought I was so far out of the tournament that I never had a chance," she said. "I wasn't nervous at all."

But after the playoff, her demeanor had changed dramatically. "Super-emotional," Lincicome said at the 18th green. "I'm standing here, physically, shaking like a leaf still. It's over and I'm still shaking."

As for her eagle on the 72nd, Lincicome added, "I feel like if you would have bet me all the money in the world to see how many times you could do it, if I went back to the fairway now I probably couldn't hit that shot again. Today was my day. Somebody was looking out for me today."

The outcome for Lewis was difficult, especially after she barely missed on her earlier three birdies tries at 18. "The initial reaction is disappointed, obviously," Lewis said. "But I played great and I hit some really good putts there, especially at the end. ... I just played solid all day, so I have to remind myself of that and not get too frustrated. It just wasn't quite meant to be today."

After saying to Lewis, "Sorry partner," Lincicome gathered her caddie (Missie Pederson), fiancé (Dewald Gouws) and father (Tom Lincicome) and the foursome jumped into a chilly Poppies Pond.

"I mean, it's incredible to have anybody in your family there when you have a win. My dad was here, and De was here, to have him be here to do this wonderful tradition of jumping into Poppie's Pond, I couldn't have wrote it any better.

"It's pretty incredible," added the Floridian, wearing the new ANA Inspiration robe. "A, that he was here, and B, that he got to jump in the pond with me. There are no words. Thanks for sticking it out and coming out this week. He definitely helped me get through the week. When I saw him in the crowd, it always put a smile on my face."

Morgan Pressel nearly dunked her third shot on the 18th for an eagle but settled for a tap-in birdie to finish with a 2-under 70 and solo third at 8-under 280, while the 22-year-old Kim ended up in third with Spain's Carlota Ciganda (68) and Sweden's Anna Nordqvist (69).

Kim, like Lewis, knew she had her chances but wasn't able to take advantage of them. "Very disappointed," Kim said through a translator. "It was just very difficult to figure out things, especially with the wind factoring in. ... It really confused me a lot. I think I can learn from that and I can make better decisions."

Defending champion Lexi Thompson closed with a 70 to end up in seventh at 282, while tied for eighth were China's Shanshan Feng (72), Korea's Mi-Hyang Lee (71) and Norway's Suzann Pettersen (67).

For all the scores, visit http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/ana-inspiration/results.