Lincicome breaks duck

Brittany Lincicome picked up her first LPGA title when she comfortably defeated fellow-American Juli Inkster by 3 & 2 to claim the HSBC Women’s World Matchplay Championship at Hamilton Farm in Gladstone, New Jersey.

The 20-year-old picked up more than £270,000 as she completed a memorable week.

Seeded 39th of the 64 players, Lincicome defeated second seed 16-year-old Michelle Wie in the quarter-finals and ousted the number three seed Lorena Ochoa with a long birdie putt at the first extra hole in the morning semi-final.

In the final, Lincicome always held the upper hand against 46-year-old veteran Inkster, who was the number eight seed.

She was five up after eight holes and a couple of wins for Inkster on the back nine was too little and too late.

For Lincicome, a former top American amateur, it was a significant breakthrough victory. Her best result to date on the LPGA Tour was third place at the Takefuji Classic in Las Vegas in April, although she had shown fine form by sharing the third-round lead before going on to finish seventh in last week’s US Women’s Open.

“This has been an awesome week,” said the youngster, whose father, Tom, was her caddie. “I played great and I hope this is the first of many wins.”

Inkster was desperately disappointed.

“I started badly and was four over par after eight holes,” she said. “I played great all week but don’t know why I couldn’t get anything going. This afternoon, I got what I deserved.”

In the morning semi-finals, Inkster, who had beaten Annika Sorenstam in the quarter-finals, had been in magnificent form and was six under par in defeating Paula Creamer by 5 and 4. Her consolation for losing the final was approximately £160,000.

In the play-off for third place, Ochoa was also a 3 & 2 winner over Creamer.