BRADENTON, Fla. — The LPGA charity pro-am has become somewhat of a lost art. The list of LPGA players who run an annual event is small, which makes Brittany Lincicome’s efforts on Monday all the more noteworthy. The now semi-retired, two-time major champion netted $262,000 at her 18th annual Brittany and Friends Celebrity Pro-Am. That was enough to replace the bus that transports the kids to and from The First Tee of St. Petersburg, along with a host of other needs. Lincicome’s annual event is the largest fundraiser for her local chapter. The bus flooded during a hurricane last year.
Lincicome didn’t pay her LPGA friends and colleagues to come out on Monday. They donated their time.
“We’re all trying to raise money for the kids,” said Lincicome, who was thrilled that John Daly joined the festivities this year.
Last month, Lincicome took part in Morgan Pressel’s 18th annual Morgan & Friends event, which raised a record $1,022,000 to support the fight against breast cancer. Recently retired Angela Stanford’s foundation gives scholarships to Texas students who had either battled cancer themselves or had close family members who’d been impacted by the disease. The In Gee Chun Lancaster Country Club Educational Foundation provides educational scholarships for caddies and employees of the club, as well as their depends. Chun, of course, won the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster.
When it comes to the Hall of Fame of charity, Betsy King’s Golf Fore Africa foundation has raised $20 million for World Vision since its founding in 2007. King, a 34-time winner on the LPGA, hosted the organization’s final event late last year in Arizona, resulting in a $1 million fourth-quarter grant.
“I think for me, it was really cool to watch a golfer do something bigger than golf,” said Stanford of King’s inspiring example.
Early week at the Founders Cup, where 39-year-old Lincicome is competing on a sponsor exemption, players kept mentioning that they’d heard great things about her event. Perhaps it will spur on others to follow her generous lead.
As for her presence in the field this week, Lincicome said she was on the phone with someone from the LPGA about how to get the Solheim Cup trophy out to her charity event when the subject of the Founders Cup came up. Lincicome thought she could get into the field in Bradenton on her own, and joked that maybe she should’ve asked for a sponsor invite. A couple days later, she got a call. Tournament organizers felt Lincicome’s approach to the game is exceedingly Founder-like, and they wanted her in the field.
The mother of two accepted, opening with a 2-under 69 to trail by four.
Lincicome never has been too big on practice, mostly relying on feel and Friday practice rounds back home. This week helps her stay somewhat fresh for the Chevron Championship, where as a past champion she can play as long she desires.
“It’s more just the mental side since having kids,” said Lincicome of getting back into competition mode. “Just trying to focus out there and not think, oh, wonder what they’re doing right now; wondering if they’re having a good day; did they have lunch.
“All the things go through your brain, mom guilt.”
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Semi-retired Brittany Lincicome wastes no time in coming back to LPGA
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