Major Champion and Tampa Resident Brittany Lincicome and Wake Forest All-American Rachel Kuehn Join Louise Rydqvist as Sponsor Exemptions for The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican

Lincicome to Conclude Final Full-Time Season on the LPGA Tour at Hometown Event; Kuehn Set to Turn Professional at The ANNIKA

Tickets on Sale at www.TheAnnika.com

BELLEAIR, Fla., Nov. 1, 2024 – Tournament officials announced today that Major Champion and Tampa resident Brittany Lincicome and Wake Forest All-American Rachel Kuehn have accepted sponsor exemptions to compete in The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, taking place at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, Nov. 11-17.

At The ANNIKA, Lincicome will wind down her prolific LPGA Tour career, while Kuehn will kick start her professional golf career.

Lincicome, an eight-time LPGA Tour winner, the 2024 U.S. Solheim Cup assistant captain and a two-time major champion, will conclude her final full-time season on the LPGA Tour at The ANNIKA. She will compete on the LPGA Tour in a limited schedule beginning in 2025.

“I’ve had a tremendous career on and off the golf course on the LPGA Tour, and I’m incredibly honored and humbled to have the opportunity finish my final full-time season where everything started for me here in the Tampa Bay region,” said Lincicome, who resides in Seminole. “Thank you to Pelican Golf Club, Gainbridge and Annika for giving me the opportunity to compete in front of my family, friends and fans.”

Kuehn, who concluded her fifth season at Wake Forest in May and earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, will make her LPGA Tour debut as a professional at The ANNIKA. She finished her collegiate career as one of the best players in program history, earning eight individual titles in her five seasons and was the first player to earn back-to-back ACC Player of the Year titles in program history (2022 and 2023). She competed in The ANNIKA in 2023 as a sponsor exemption while at Wake Forest, finishing T15 at 11-under par.

“I’m excited to return to Pelican Golf Club in November to kick start my professional career by playing on the LPGA Tour where I had a lot of success in 2023,” said Kuehn. “I look forward to testing my game against the sport’s best players. Thank you to Pelican Golf Club, Gainbridge and Annika for giving me the opportunity to begin my next chapter in my professional career at one of the most prestigious events on the LPGA Tour.”

As previously announced, University of South Carolina Senior All-American Louise Rydqvist will join the field for a second consecutive year as a sponsor exemption, as a result of South Carolina capturing the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M in September. South Carolina women’s golf coach Kalen Anderson selected Rydqvist as the recipient of the exemption for a second consecutive year. Rydqvist finished as the individual runner-up at 13-under par.

The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican is the penultimate event of the 2024 LPGA Tour season, where 120 of the world’s top female professional golfers will compete for a share of the $3.25 million purse, one of the largest on the LPGA Tour. The top-five players and eight of the top-10 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings are entered into the championship, including World No. 1 and two-time champion Nelly Korda and No. 2 and defending champion Lilia Vu. Tickets for The ANNIKA are on sale exclusively at www.TheAnnika.com.

2024 The ANNIKA Ticket Options: There are three ticket options for fans interested in attending:

Daily Grounds

Wednesday, Nov. 13 (Pro-Am): $25.
Thursday, Nov. 14: $40.
Friday-Saturday, Nov. 15-16: $45 per day.
Sunday, Nov. 17: $50.

Weekly Grounds:

Wednesday-Sunday, Nov. 13-17: $140.

Lightning Lounge:

Offered in partnership with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Lightning Lounge provides a shared hospitality experience at the tournament’s signature par-3 12thhole. The Lightning Lounge includes complimentary food and beverages, TVs, private bathrooms, and parking.
Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 14-17: $225 per day.
Weekly (Thursday-Sunday): $800.

Announced last week, all military personnel (active, reserve, retired and veterans) and all first responders (fire, police and emergency medical service personnel) and one guest will be granted complimentary admission to the 2024 edition of the championship. Once inside the championship, military personnel will have access to a special exclusive hospitality venue – the Hero Outpost presented by FedData – overlooking the tournament’s signature par-3 12th green. First Responders will have access to the First Responders Outpost presented by SERVPRO, a special exclusive hospitality venue on the par-4 16th green. All military and first responders will receive complimentary admission to the championship and the Outposts by showing proper identification. Children 17 and under will also be admitted free with a paid adult.

Lilia Vu captured her fourth LPGA Tour win at The ANNIKA in 2023, elevating her to World No. 1 at the time. Nelly Korda is a two-time champion at The ANNIKA (2021 and 2022), with Sei Young Kim winning the inaugural event in 2020.

For more information on The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, visit www.TheAnnika.com and on social media: @TheAnnikaLPGA on X, @TheAnnikaLPGAon Instagram, and The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican on Facebook.

Brittany Lincicome and Rachel Kuehn Join Louise Rydqvist as Sponsor Exemptions for The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican

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