OTTAWA, Ont. – Brooke Henderson made a rare return home to the Ottawa area for a charity golf tournament on Tuesday, and a handful of schoolchildren chanted ‘Go Brooke Go’ as she acknowledged the crowd.
Despite the near-freezing temperatures, the teenage golf star from nearby Smiths Falls, Ont. was more than happy to take questions from the crowd on everything from what loft her extra-long driver is (8.5 degrees) to how she manages to do laundry on the road (“We like it when Mom comes and does it,” said sister and caddie Brittany Henderson, eliciting laughter from those in attendance).
“I love being home, even though it’s like December here, it’s so cold,” said Henderson with a smile, as snow had fallen in the area just two days prior. “It’s so exciting to see family and friends, and I haven’t been home since Christmas so it’s nice to relax for a little bit, take a break, and regroup.”
Although Henderson has not had the same kind of start to the LPGA Tour season that she did a year ago – she had eight top-10 finishes in her first nine events, while in 2017 she has only two through 10 events – she said she isn’t too down on herself.
“It’s a dream-come-true to be able to play against the best players in the world week-in and week-out and when your game’s not quite there, you have to persevere and you have to stay patient, and that’s where I am right now,” she said.
Henderson played more than anyone else on the LPGA Tour in 2016, and she’s already adjusted her schedule somewhat to make sure she is mentally focused as the rest of the year’s majors are on the horizon, including the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, where she is the defending champion.
The 19-year-old told LPGA.com Tuesday that she will be skipping the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G the week prior to the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and will also skip the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open.
“Playing the courses last year… this year I knew where to hit it, I knew where the good spots and the bad spots were. Even in the hotel I felt more comfortable,” she said. “Every golf course I see, everywhere I get to do ‘more’ it makes me feel better for this year and the year’s to come.”
The one event Henderson has her sights set on the most, however, is the one close to her hometown.
The CP Canadian Women’s Open, taking place in August, will be hosted by the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, which bestowed Henderson with an honorary membership last year.
“The Canadian Open will be an amazing week. Hopefully I can peak for it and it will be a highlight to remember,” she said. “Having family and friends there from all around Ottawa to come and support me is going to be great.
“Almost every week I think about the Canadian Open,” she continued. “I know it’s going to be pressure-filled. There’s going to be a lot of expectations for sure. I don’t want to disappoint. I want to give them a good show.”
The Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club last hosted the Women’s Open in 2008, when Henderson was just 10 years old. It was there where Henderson attended a clinic held by Morgan Pressel, now one of her closest friends on Tour.
“She’s great. She knows that I loved her growing up and she’s always been super nice to me,” said Henderson of Pressel. “She raised over $1 million this year (at her charity event) and to be one of her friends, to be part of that event was really cool.”
As a second-year member of the LPGA Tour, Henderson has managed to show some maturation, and is eager to begin to give back to the next generation of golfers.
“I realize the importance to inspire and give back to the younger generation, and try to grow the tour which I think is really important,” she said. “The Founders before my generation did an incredible job of growing the Tour: the purses are much bigger, it’s on TV, the crowds are out here, the golf courses are awesome… I’m hoping to continue that trend.”
A lot on the shoulders of a 19-year-old from a small Canadian town, but, she is up for the task.
But before she can bear responsibility for growing the sport, she’s got more than three-quarters of a season ahead of her.
“There’s a big stretch with a lot of majors coming up, if I can get it going next week hopefully I can ride that wave the rest of the season,” she explained, pointing at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship as an event that she’s got circled on her calendar prior to the Canadian Open, as she’ll go in as the defending champion.
“Olympia Fields is a great golf course – I played the U.S.Girls Junior there – but it’s much different than Sahalee. Hopefully I’ll go learn it really well and I’d love to defend,” she explained. “I know that will be hard, but I’m going to give it my best effort and see what happens.”
And as far as her larger goals are concerned, she still wants to get to No.1 in the world – something she’s not forgotten about.
“It’ll be difficult to be the No.1 player in the world, but a lot of people didn’t think I could get to No.2 (she did last year) so that’s a lot of my motivation. I’m at No.13 right now and if you think about the big picture, that’s still pretty good,” she said. “Every week I’m keeping that world ranking in the back of my mind and hopefully I can have some more top finishes, and a couple more wins, and get there.”
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