As the final group chased what little daylight was left up the 18th hole, Charley Hull rinsed her approach at Pelican Golf Club while Nelly Korda suffered a disappointing three-putt.
“I was hitting a 7-iron to the green, and usually my 7-iron in this weather is like 165, 107 club. The sun then dropped, and it was kind of dark. Then it got the wind up, and I hit a really good 7-iron in and hit it pure. It just come up short in the water. Tricky little up-and-down,” said Hull.
“But my putt, I could barely see the hole. I couldn’t see the break or anything. So it was pretty dark to finish in.”
Korda called it poor planning, starting the third round so late at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican. The TV window was scheduled to finish at 5 p.m. ET but the final threesome, which teed off at 12:13 p.m., didn’t finish until 5:50 p.m. and Golf Channel stayed on air til the end.
Hull and Korda, two of the fastest players on tour, can’t be blamed. The final round is scheduled to finish at 4:30 p.m. ET on Golf Channel.
Hull paces the field at 12 under while Korda, a two-time winner of this event, sits one back with China’s Weiwei Zhang. While Korda looks to nab her seventh title of the season, Zhang is fighting for full status for the 2025.
“I just felt it’s amazing day today,” said Zhang, who carded a career-low 8-under 62. “I can’t say anything. Just I don’t know how to play that well today.”
Charley Hull of England and Nelly Korda of the United States looks on from the 18th hole during the third round of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2024 at Pelican Golf Club on November 16, 2024 in Belleair, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
There’s much on the line Sunday at Pelican, which year after year delivers a first-class finish. In addition to the trophy, players are battling for a spot in the 60-player CME Group Tour Championship as well as their status for next season. In addition, South Korea’s Jin Hee Im, who currently trails by three, looks to make a big move in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race.
Two-time major winner Brittany Lincicome, who lives in nearby St. Petersburg, will tee it up in her final round as a full-time player on Sunday. Lincicome carded a second consecutive 69 and holds a share of 36th. She tees off at 9:12 a.m. on Sunday alongside Ally Ewing and Jiwon Jeon.
Lincicome has her husband, Dewald Gouws, on the bag this week but plans to have her father, Tom, come inside the ropes Sunday to carry her home on the 18th. It will no doubt be an emotional finish for the mother of two who has long been a fan favorite.
Lee informed a rules official of the mistake on the second tee.
It was a strange Saturday for Australia’s Minjee Lee, who began the day with an unforced error after accidentally leaving an extra club, used as a training aid, in her golf bag. Lee informed a rules official of the mistake on the second tee at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican and was given a two-stroke penalty, which resulted in a double bogey on the first hole.
Because Lee discovered the club prior to hitting a shot on the second hole, she was assessed a penalty only for the first hole for exceeding the 14-club limit, a breach of Rule 4.1(b)1. The training aid was not used during the round.
Four birdies and an eagle later, Lee put herself back in contention until posting another double bogey on the par-4 17th and a bogey on the 18th. The two-time major winner carded a 1-under 69 in Round 3 and currently sits six back of leader Charley Hull, who paces the field at 12 under.
Lee carded rounds of 66-69-69 to hold a share of 11th.
Lydia Ko needed a tissue before leaving Golf Channel’s booth on Saturday at The Annika.
Lydia Ko needed a tissue before leaving Golf Channel’s booth on Saturday at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican. They were grateful tears after she watched the likes of Pat Bradley and Meg Mallon welcome her into the LPGA Hall of Fame.
The tribute ended with heartfelt words from older sister Sura.
“You know, I’m so grateful to be able to know these amazing people, and to think of me so highly, I’m very thankful,” Ko told Golf Channel’s Morgan Pressel and Grant Boone.
“Golf, the results, the 22 wins, medals, they’re great; these kind of relationships are things that are going to be with me forever. Not that I’ll lose my memory one day, but if I do, these are the moments that I’ll remember.”
Ko, 27, shot a 5-under 65 in round three of The Annika to climb into the top 20. She earned the 27th point needed to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame at the Paris Summer Olympics. Soon after, she won the AIG Women’s British Open at St. Andrews for her 22nd career LPGA title.
Ko became the 35th player to enter the LPGA’s Hall and only the 25th player to earn 27 HOF points. Nine women were inducted as honorary members (eight LPGA founders and beloved entertainer Dinah Shore).
Lydia Ko celebrates her gold medal at the medal ceremony at the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Le Golf National. (Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports)
And it wouldn’t be a Ko show without a “youngest to” accolade. At 27 years, three months and 17 days, she’s the youngest to get into the Hall under its current criteria.
“Golf has given me so much not only by results,” she said, “but some of the relationships that I’ve made. Golf is actually a strong bond even between my husband and I. It’s crazy.
“I don’t know when my end is going to be, but I know that I’m closer to then than when I was 15 or when I first came on tour.
“I’m excited, but excited to give it my best and my everything until the very end. It’s definitely a love/hate relationship. Looking back, I think there is more to love for sure.”
Caitlin Clark took over the LPGA on Wednesday when she played in The Annika pro-am alongside Nelly Korda and Annika Sorenstam — she played the front nine with the world No. 1 and the back with the GOAT.
Fans came out in droves to Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, to get an up-close look at the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and her golf game.
Her one goal for the day was to avoid hitting a fan, and she nearly failed. However, she rebounded and played some great shots throughout the morning.
Social media quickly picked up on Clark’s shoes and were obsessed with the gold bottoms. Her shoes were Nike’s Infinity Tour 2, however, they were a Player Exclusive, meaning they’re not available to the public.
Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, was buzzing early Wednesday morning as world No. 1 Nelly Korda and WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark warmed up for their nine-hole pro-am at The Annika, one of the biggest non-major events on the LPGA schedule.
It’s not often you get two of the biggest stars in women’s sports together, and fans took advantage of the opportunity. They came out in droves to watch Korda and Clark, with tournament host and women’s golf GOAT Annika Sorenstam and LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan making an appearance on the first tee.
After Korda and Clark finish the front nine, the No. 1 pick from the 2024 WNBA draft will play the back with Sorenstam.
Here are must-see photos from an incredible morning at Pelican Golf Club.
“All of it is really a dream come true, and I’ve been blessed to do it for so long.”
Everyone always said she’d know when the time was right.
When eldest daughter Emery started kindergarten in August, Brittany Lincicome volunteered during lunch the first two weeks of school and felt a shift in her heart.
It was time to stay home.
“Kindergarten came around and I was like, you know what,” Lincicome told Golfweek, “there’s more to life than chasing a dream.”
Lincicome, 39, poured her soul into a hand-written letter to the Doyle family asking for a sponsor exemption to The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, the penultimate event on the 2024 LPGA schedule. When the call came that she’d been given a spot, she broke down in tears. Having the opportunity to say goodbye so close to home is “the cherry on top.”
This isn’t a retirement announcement, exactly. She’d like to play in a handful of events each year going forward as well as the occasional pro-am. Going forward, golf will take a backseat to family. With daughters Emery now five and Sophia two, there are new dreams to chase.
“My dad said when I turned pro, ‘Give me 10 years, and then you can retire,’ ” she said. “Here we are, 20 years later.”
She loved it too much to leave.
Brittany Lincicome of Team United States arrives to the Opening Ceremony prior to the Solheim Cup at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club on September 12, 2024 in Gainesville, Virginia. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
As Lincicome winds down her competitive career, former Wake Forest standout Rachel Kuehn will play in her first LPGA event as a professional Nov. 14-17 in Belleair, Florida, on a sponsor exemption. Kuehn won eight titles in five years as a Demon Deacon.
Lincicome burst onto the LPGA scene as an amateur at the 2004 U.S. Women’s Open when she led Day 1 with a 6-under 66. She tied for 55th that week, but the experience helped cement the decision to skip college and turn professional.
The long-bombing Lincicome, who loves to fish more than practice, won her first of eight LPGA titles in 2006 and her most recent in 2018. She won what’s now known as the Chevron Championship in 2009 and 2015, hitting magnificent approach shots into the iconic 18th green both times to set up eagle putts of four and nine feet, respectively.
“Getting my first win with my dad on the bag,” she said, “my parents sacrificed everything to get me where I am today.
“Winning two majors – two school-teachers raising me to be a pro golfer – and to have eight wins is remarkable.”
Lincicome is exempt into the Chevron as a past champion and plans to play in the event next year along with a few more tournaments over the summer when Emery is out of school. There are host families and communities she’d love to stay connected with.
There will be faces Lincicome will miss on tour, but the reality is many of her peers have already retired or play sparingly these days. The rush of competition will be hard to replace.
After representing the U.S. six times as a player at the Solheim Cup, she was an assistant captain at this year’s event in Virginia. Team USA captain Stacy Lewis lauds the way Lincicome has gone about her business on tour, understanding that good golf isn’t all that’s important.
And she did it all with a smile on her face.
“She’s just great to have in a team room,” said Lewis. “She was great to be on a team with just for that reason. Whether we were winning or losing – she was going to act the same way.”
Brittany Lincicome (C) jumps in the water surrounding the 18th green after winning with an eagle on the final hole with caddie Tara Bateman and father Tom Lincicome during the final round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship at Mission Hills Country Club on April 5, 2009 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Growing up, Lincicome’s best friend called her “Snacks” because the contents of her golf bag resembled a small 7-11. On tour, she’s known as “Bam Bam” for her natural power. As a kid, she played a number of junior events at what was then known as Belleview Biltmore Golf Club, now the Pelican. While the private club and course are vastly different these days, it’s a fitting place for the pro who has done so much for her community to say a partial goodbye.
For more than 15 years, Lincicome has hosted the Brittany & Friends Celebrity Pro-Am benefitting her local First Tee chapter in St. Petersburg. LPGA players, PGA Tour pros and professional baseball and hockey players have donated their time over the years to help Lincicome give back to kids, raising $2 million. Daughter Emery now takes part in the First Tee program on Saturday mornings.
Today, Lincicome is one of the few players on the LPGA still running a charity event.
“All of it is really a dream come true,” she said, “and I’ve been blessed to do it for so long.”
Soon, Pelican will be hopping with fans looking to catch a glimpse of superstar Caitlin Clark as the WNBA player joins the pro-am at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican. Clark will play alongside Nelly Korda and host Annika Sorenstam on Nov. 13 at the penultimate event on the LPGA’s 2024 calendar.
And while the event will no doubt be a respite for members and fans, there’s still so much need after Hurricanes Helene and Milton slammed into the Tampa Bay area. To that end, the tournament and club have teamed up to create special “Florida Strong” T-shirts and sweatshirts that will benefit the Florida Disaster Fund, managed by the Volunteer Florida Foundation.
Multiple shirt designs are available online and in the Pelican Golf Club pro shop during tournament week. The t-shirts sell for $40 and sweatshirts are $65.
The Annika and Pelican Golf Club have teamed up to create “Florida Strong” T-shirts and sweatshirts that benefit Florida hurricane recovery efforts. (courtesy photo)
Tampa’s local TV station, WFLA, reported the damage assessment of Pinellas County included 28,350 homes sustaining damage from Helene and 12,560 damaged homes from Milton. In addition, 307 businesses were damaged by Milton and 585 were impacted by Helene.
Director of Golf/COO Justin Sheehan told Golfweek earlier this month Pelican lost 20 to 25 substantial trees as 100 mph winds ripped through the state. The area is estimated to have received 15 to 20 inches of rain.
“Hopefully, a once-in-a-lifetime deal,” he said.
In addition to the charity tees, the tournament is also offering free tickets to all first responders and one guest. First responders will have access to an exclusive hospitality venue, the First Responders Outpost presented by Servpro, located on the par-4 16th green.
The scene at Pelican Golf Club on Oct. 10 after Hurricane Milton dumped an unprecedented amount of water on the Belleair, Florida, course. (Photo courtesy of Justin Sheehan/Pelican Golf Club)
The 72-hole tournament, which takes place Nov. 14-17, has also announced all military personnel (active, reserve, retired and veterans) and a plus-one will receive complimentary access to the championship, including access to a special exclusive hospitality venue – the Hero Outpost presented by FedData – overlooking the tournament’s signature par-3 12th hole.
Children 17 and under also will be admitted free with a paid adult.
This will be the fifth edition of The Annika, which serves as the cutoff for finalizing status for the 2025 season as well as the field for the lucrative CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida.
Eight of the top 10 players in the world have committed to the field, including defending champion Lilia Vu and the LPGA’s newest Hall of Fame member, Lydia Ko. Top-ranked Korda is a two-time champion.
Children 17 and under also will be admitted free with a paid adult.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda, a two-time champion at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, has committed to playing in the upcoming event alongside defending champion Lilia Vu, currently ranked second, and Lydia Ko, the hottest player in the world. Recent champions Ruoning Yin and Hannah Green, who’ve both won multiple events in 2024, round out the top 5 players coming to the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.
The LPGA’s penultimate event of the season will take place Nov. 11-17, and the field will vie for a purse of $3.25 million, one of the largest on tour. Eight of the top 10 players in the world have committed to the field. With WNBA star Caitlin Clark playing in the pro-am alongside Sorenstam and Korda, it’s likely to be a blockbuster affair.
(R to L) Annika Sorenstam of Sweden presents the trophy to Lilia Vu of the United States on the 18th green after The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican at Pelican Golf Club on November 12, 2023 in Belleair, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Pelican Golf Club reopened for play last Wednesday, one week after Hurricane Milton left much of the course flooded. The tournament announced on Monday that all military personnel (active, reserve, retired and veterans) and a plus-one will receive complimentary access to the championship, including access to a special exclusive hospitality venue – the Hero Outpost presented by FedData – overlooking the tournament’s signature par-3 12th hole.
Additionally, all first responders and one guest will receive free tickets to the 2024 championship. First responders will have access to an exclusive hospitality venue, the First Responders Outpost presented by Servepro, located on the par-4 16th green.
Children 17 and under also will be admitted free with a paid adult.
This will be the fifth edition of The Annika, which serves as the cutoff for finalizing status for the 2025 season as well as the field for the lucrative CME Group Tour Championship.
The area is estimated to have received 15 to 20 inches of rain.
Pelican Golf Club reopened for play Wednesday, one week after Hurricane Milton left much of the Belleair, Florida, course flooded. Remarkably, the show will go on at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican next month in the Tampa Bay area, and with WNBA star Caitlin Clark playing in the pro-am, it’s likely to be a blockbuster.
Last Thursday evening, when Director of Golf/COO Justin Sheehan stood in the middle of the 13th fairway, he wasn’t sure what to expect. The 13th was flooded from 100 yards out, including the green. The 16th green was underwater, as was half of the 10th, a two-tiered green. Everywhere he turned, something was flooded.
How long, he wondered, could the greens hold up under this much water? Would the bunkers cave in?
Incredibly, the water receded back to almost normal overnight, Sheehan said. It was actually more upsetting, however, to see what was left underneath.
“There were piles of pine straw 4 feet high,” he noted. “The bunker on No. 3 was completely filled with pine straw, couldn’t see an ounce of sand in there.”
The club lost 20 to 25 substantial trees as 100 mph winds ripped through the state. The area is estimated to have received 15 to 20 inches of rain.
Friday morning was an all-hands-on-deck effort led by Chris Corr, the club’s director of grounds. Members of the Doyle family, who own the club, came out to help as well as a number of club members, including juniors, who put on gloves and wielded rakes, shovels and leaf blowers.
This will be the fifth edition of The Annika, held Nov. 14-17. As the penultimate event on the LPGA schedule, The Annika is the cutoff for finalizing status for the 2025 season as well as the field for the lucrative CME Group Tour Championship.
Sei Young Kim won the first edition in 2020, and Nelly Korda won the next two. Last year, Lilia Vu capped off her breakout season at the Pelican with a fourth victory and rose to No. 1 in the world.
“It’s part of the fabric of this club,” said Sheehan of an event that has quickly rose to prominence on tour.
No doubt it will feel even more special this year as so many work hard to rebuild.
Photos: Pelican Golf Club
Take a look at some drone images taken Thursday evening, after the season’s second Category 5 hurricane wreaked havoc on Florida’s coast:
By Sunday, incredibly, the maintenance staff was able to mow the entire golf course.
In addition to playing alongside tournament host and 10-time major winner Annika Sorenstam, Golfweek has learned that Clark will play nine holes with Nelly Korda in the 18-hole pro-am. The World No. 1, a two-time winner of the Pelican, is currently sidelined from the Asian swing with a minor neck injury.
Nelly Korda celebrates with Team USA after defeating Team Europe for the 2024 Solheim Cup at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. (Aaron Doster-Imagn Images)
Korda began the year with six victories in her first eight starts, causing many to wonder if the popular American could have a Clark-like impact on the LPGA.
Clark’s historic and electric first season in the WNBA came to an end in late September after the Indiana Fever were knocked out of the playoffs. The former Iowa star and NCAA’s all-time leading scorer routinely drew record crowds at both the collegiate and professional levels. The Clark phenomenon will no doubt create quite the scene at Pelican on what’s normally a quiet day at the office.
Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Ludvig Aberg of Sweden walk to the fifth hole during the pro-am prior to the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run on July 05, 2023 in Silvis, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Last summer, Clark created a frenzy at the John Deere Classic Pro-Am when she played alongside Zach Johnson and Ludvig Aberg.
Clark became a Gainbridge ambassador last March, joining sports icons Sorenstam and Billie Jean King.
This will be the fifth edition of The Annika, held Nov. 14-17. The course reopened on Wednesday after 100 mph winds and extreme flooding from Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc on the private Tampa Bay area club.
