Women’s Open: Brittany Lincicome’s ‘heart breaks’ to not be playing at Royal Troon

American two-time major winner Brittany Lincicome says her “heart breaks” to not be playing at this year’s Women’s Open.

The event, formerly known as the Women’s British Open, will take place from 20-23 August.

“I’m so bummed, my heart breaks not to go,” she told BBC World Service Sport.

“This is my 16th year I think on tour and I’m not sure I’ve ever missed the British Open which is a huge event, it’s one that I never want to miss.”

Lincicome – who has eight wins on the LPGA Tour – has a one-year-old daughter, Emery, and says she does not feel safe flying internationally with her baby.

“Just to not be on the charter [flight] and have to fly commercially with all the other passengers, with Emery it just didn’t seem safe,” she said. “I just didn’t feel comfortable.

“We’re just going to stick with domestic events definitely in the beginning, and then see where we go from there but I am so bummed to be missing that event.”

The LPGA Tour will resume next week with back-to-back events in Ohio, starting with the new three-day Drive On Championship from 31 July, before the Marathon LPGA Classic starts on 6 August.

The Drive On Championship will take place at the Inverness Club, the venue for next year’s Solheim Cup.

“I think nobody envisioned us here in July getting ready for really our start of the season,” said Lincicome, who has been nursing a thumb injury for which she made need surgery.

“Competition is going to be so new to all of us and it’s going to be really interesting to see who can step back up quickly.

“I’m super excited, when our commissioner Mike Whan told us about this new event that was thrown together really quick at Inverness, it’s such a beautiful golf club and we’re so lucky to be able to play there.

“It will be a great preview for us to get to see it a little bit and feel it out early, but for them to have us and to throw this event together is really spectacular.”