PORTLAND – Brooke Henderson has always looked up to Morgan Pressel. The tour veteran has served as a role model for the 17-year-old who is looking to emulate Pressel in a big way this weekend in winning for the first time on the LPGA Tour.
Fittingly, Pressel had a front row seat for Henderson’s first bid in February at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic where she held the 54-hole lead. The two were grouped together in the final round in San Francisco but both came up short to winner Lydia Ko. Ironically, the two will be grouped together again Sunday, where Henderson again enters the final round with the 54-hole lead, looking to convert her five-stroke lead into a win.
“Brooke is a great player,” said Pressel. “To Monday qualify and obviously be playing this well, she knows what's at stake for her. She wants to get on Tour without having to go to Q‑school, and she's certainly putting herself in a great position to do that, and I would love to play together again tomorrow. She's a great girl, and she has a lot of potential for sure.”
Pressel has a lot of potential to win Sunday as well, having already posted five top-5 finishes this season but has yet to win. The major champion has struggled in recent weeks, missing two cuts in her last four starts but says the hard work she’s put in with her instructor Ron Stockton has helped her turn a corner this week in Portland.
“I feel like I’m really putting better than I have been,” Pressel said. “I gave myself a lot of opportunities. I love this golf course. I love playing here in Portland, and I have a great support group out here watching me, so it’s a lot of fun. You know I haven’t had the results I’ve wanted, but I’ve still kept plugging along and trying to improve and it’s still what I’m trying to do out there no matter what.”
Pressel’s third round 7-under par 65 propelled her to 13-under par, five-strokes behind Henderson, leaving her some work come Sunday if she wants to catch the Canadian.
“I’ll take another nine birdies tomorrow,” Pressel said laughing. “I think I need to just give myself a lot of opportunities and eliminate a couple of the sloppy mistakes that I’ve made the last few days and I think it’ll put me up there towards the end tomorrow.”
Both Pressel and Henderson will be chasing their first victory of the season Sunday, grouped with Sandra Gal. The trio tee off at 11:10am Sunday morning.
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