NASSAU – Brittany Lincicome kicked off the 2017 season by setting a new tournament scoring record. The two-time major champion opened with a nine-under par, 64 on Thursday at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic at Ocean Club Golf Course to take the outright lead. Lincicome sits two-strokes ahead of Stacy Lewis, P.K. Kongkraphan and Megan Khang.
“I was making everything. 30-footers, 10-footers, five-footers. It was a pretty easy day,” Lincicome said after her round. “I was driving it well, hitting it well, putting, making everything. It was one of those days where it’s like wow, is it too good to be true for it to keep going for three more days?”
The world No.45 isn’t much of a leaderboard watcher, so she had no idea she was on track to set a new tournament scoring record on Thursday. Her bogey-free round of 64 also tied the course record. The round is the lowest by Lincicome since the 2011 ShopRite LPGA Classic when she also carded a 64. Her career low round came at the 2010 CVS Pharmacy LPGA Classic when she posted an 11-under par, 61.
Click here to watch Lincicome's post-round interview.
Click here to watch Lincicome's opening round highlights.
Lewis, Kongkraphan and Khang opened with rounds of seven-under par, 66 to trail Lincicome by two. Despite opening with a bogey on her first hole of the day, the par four 10th, Lewis remained bogey-free the rest of the way.
“Bit of a slow start, a little bit of nerves I guess not really trusting what I was doing to start, but really got the putter rolling kind of middle of the round and birdied the par 5s, which is what you have to do on this golf course,” Lewis said. “Still a couple things I can do better, but overall it was a really good day.”
The world No.14 sits in a share of second. It’s a familiar place for Lewis in the Bahamas, who has twice finished runner-up in this event.
Click here to watch Lewis' post-round interview.
Like Lewis, Khang also plays well in the Bahamas. As a rookie in 2016, Khang held a share of the 36-hole lead before finishing T-11 for the week.
“I just feel a lot more confidence coming here. I know this course a little better. I just have a lot of good memories,” Khang said after her round. “It was kind of an easy round. I had a great group so I didn’t really have to worry.”
Click here to watch Khang's post-round interview.
It was a stress-free day for Kongkraphan as well, who went bogey-free on Thursday. The 2012 rookie feels comfortable in the Bahamas, where she finished in a share of seventh in 2014.
“Playing out here, I have a lot of confidence right now, especially start bogey free today,” Kongkraphan said. “I hit the ball solid and putting well and very good, so much better short game this time.”
Simin Feng, Gerina Piller and Celine Herbin sit in a share of fifth at six-under par. Defending champion Hyo Joo Kim opened with a two-under par, 71 and is T-38 heading into round two.
Click here for complete scores from the opening round of the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic.
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