Brittany Lincicome figures she’s thrown out the first pitch five times over the course of her LPGA career. In previous years, she’d go out to the mound at a baseball rehab facility to get in some practice, but given that she recently gave birth to her second child, she instead settled for a few warm-up tosses with the Tampa Bay Rays mascot before heading onto the field.
“The people here could care less if I bounce it or throw it in the stands,” said Lincicome. “But my friends are sending me memes of people who have done a bad job in the past.”
Leave it to good friends to bring the heat.
Lincicome, 36, threw it a little low on Sunday afternoon to open up play against the Rangers, but she’ll take it. The two-time major champion played baseball with the boys from ages 8-12 and then played softball her freshman year of high school. She could throw it far but ran slow. Her nickname back then was “turtle,” she said with a laugh.
Lincicome’s whole family came out to the Rays game, including baby Sophia, born early August. Lincicome stopped playing in late June after the KPMG Women’s PGA, and plans to return to the tour not far from her St. Petersburg, Florida, home at the Pelican Women’s Championship Nov. 10-13 in Belleair.
Lincicome gave birth to her first child, Emery, in July 2019.
“Obviously, it’s going be very challenging with two,” said Lincicome, “but we’re going to play as long as I can. I don’t have any intention of retiring.”
Brittany Lincicome and her daughter Sophia at a Tampa Bay Rays game.
Lincicome typically travels with her parents, longtime owners of a local daycare. She said Emery will likely go to the LPGA’s daycare while Sophia rides around in a stroller for a bit to watch her play.
As for practice, Lincicome typically plays on Fridays and said she usually cards four to six birdies before she gets back to the clubhouse after 14 holes.
“Probably should throw in one more day,” said the eight-time winner.