LPGA’s Lincicome shoots 78 in PGA Tour debut

NICHOLASVILLE, Kentucky — Brittany Lincicome has a huge hole to climb out of if she hopes to make golf history.

Lincicome shot a 6-over 78 in the first round of the Barbasol Championship on Thursday, leaving the LPGA Tour pro’s goal of making the cut likely out of reach.

Lincicome was hoping to become the second woman to make the cut in a men’s event and the first since Babe Zaharias in 1945.

Troy Merritt surged to the first-round lead with a 10-under 62, equalling the course record on the Champion Trace course at Keene Trace Golf Club, which is hosting the event.

However, much of Thursday’s attention centred on Lincicome, whose eight LPGA Tour victories include two majors.

Although Lincicome expected to struggle with the length of the golf course, her worst holes were two par 3s. She missed her tee shot well right on the 191-yard seventh — her 16th hole of the day — leaving her a difficult pitch from a downhill lie in the rough. That came up short of the green and she ultimately made a triplebogey 6.

“Probably one too many clubs,” Lincicome said of her tee shot. “Hit it short of there in case I do miss the green, because over that green was absolutely dead.”

On the 205-yard 18th, her tee shot came up short in the water, leading to double bogey.

She played the other 16 holes in 1 over, making her only birdie on the par-4 third.

Lincicome ended up in a threeway tie for 129th and would likely need a round in the mid-60s today to make the cut.

“If I can drive it like I did today and just make a few putts here and there, I think I’ll be back in good shape,” Lincicome said.

The golf course was firm on Thursday, but that might change with thunderstorms in the forecast today.

Andres Romero, Billy Horschel and Joel Dahmen shot 65s and were three shots back. Hunter Mahan was one of eight players to shoot 66.