Brittany Lincicome today became the sixth woman to compete in a PGA Tour event when she teed off at the Barbasol Championship, and she has received a feeling of "support and welcome," according to Keely Levins of GOLF DIGEST. Lincicome said, "All the guys on the putting green, in the lunch room, everyone has been super supportive, which is great. They're all like, It's great that you're here. Thanks for coming. I was like, Thanks for having me." Lincicome said that her fellow LPGA players were "quick to cheer her on" when she received the sponsor exemption last month. She has been "receiving text messages from players this week and some are even flying out to the course to support her," as the LPGA has the week off. Lincicome: "Everyone on social media has been awesome as well. It's great. You never know how they'll handle it, but I haven't had to block anybody and everybody has been very nice" (GOLFDIGEST.com, 7/17). Lincicome said, "I was so worried in the beginning when I was talking to my agent about accepting the opportunity. I was worried about people on social media thinking I was doing it for the wrong reasons or sending me their two cents. ... Everybody has been great, encouraging and wishing me luck" (ESPN.com, 7/18).
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY: In N.Y., Karen Crouse reports Lincicome in some ways "has deeper ties to the tournament than any man in the field." She has endorsed Pure Silk, which also is owned by Barbasol parent company Perio, for nearly a decade and is the "two-time defending champion of the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic, the women's equivalent of the event here." Golfer Jason Bohn said, "I love the fact that the tournament is giving an unrestricted sponsor's exemption to a player who will be a draw but who is also attached to the title brand. I hope everybody's accepting her for that and looking beyond her sex" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/19). Lincicome said, “I never would have gone out and told my agent, 'Let’s go try to play in a PGA Tour event,' but when [Perio President] Tom Murray called with this opportunity, I was really blown away and excited by it. I never in a million years thought I would have this opportunity” (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 7/17). She added, "I feel like coming from my sponsor [Murray] really wanted me to play and I wanted to play so it was kind of a win-win for both of us" (MYSTATELINE.com, 7/16).
CHANCE TO INSPIRE GIRLS: The GUARDIAN's Anya Alvarez noted some people "believe Lincicome’s invitation is a grab for attention by a tournament that is up against" the Open Championship in the schedule, but Lincicome "doesn’t see her participation as a gimmick." She "sees the benefit of bringing more attention to the LPGA and perhaps inspiring girls to take up the game" (THEGUARDIAN.com, 7/17). Lincicome detailed her decision to accept the sponsor's exemption for the event on The Players' Tribune.
