Henderson back in action
It’s been a whirlwind few days for Canada’s Brooke Henderson, but now it’s time to refocus.
Henderson, who captured the CP Women’s Open Sunday by four shots – becoming the first Canadian to win the event on her home soil since 1973 – will return to the Cambia Portland Classic with all kinds of good vibes.
Twice a winner on the LPGA Tour this season (she won the LOTTE Championship earlier in the year), Henderson is second on the money list. She won this event in 2015 and repeated the following here. She’s said she loves the layout since it’s tree-lined and reminds her of the courses in Canada.
Since she’s coming into the week off a victory, she should be considered a threat once again in the Pacific Northwest.
“I feel like things have been really steady for me. This win definitely gives me a lot of confidence and a lot of momentum,” Henderson said Sunday. “I've had two wins the last couple seasons, so I wanted to keep that streak going, so I'm happy that I did. And you know, hopefully I can look forward to hopefully getting a third win this season.”
Henderson finished tied for 15th a year ago.
Martin riding momentum
Although Mo Martin didn’t play this event in 2017, she’s in action this week coming off her best round of the season.
Martin fired a course-record 62 Sunday at the CP Women’s Open, and nearly had it to 11-under on the day but her birdie try on the 72nd hole just slid by.
The one-time LPGA Tour winner said Sunday she was sending videos to her swing coach and he didn’t have anything to say in response, just that she was hitting the ball so well.
If Martin gets on another roll this week, she has a chance for her first victory since the RICOH Women’s British Open in 2014.
Ernst hoping for a good week
Austin Ernst is one only a handful of past champions in the field this week, and she’s hoping to make the most of her experience.
Ernst, whose lone LPGA Tour victory came in Portland in 2014 comes into the week after she tied for fourth at the CP Women’s Open. Her fourth-place result was her fourth top-6 result of the year.
It was her best result in six weeks on Tour.
Ernst joins Brooke Henderson as the lone past champions in the field, with recent winners Stacy Lewis and Suzann Pettersen enjoying time with their growing families.
Money list race heats up
Although there’s still a wide separation at the top between Ariya Jutanugarn and Brooke Henderson (Jutanugarn leads by more than $1 million) the race to get into the Top 100 and avoid heading to Q-Series is much tighter.
With just two full-field events left in the LPGA Tour season – this week in Portland and The Evian Championship – there’s no time like the present to try to make a move.
Sandra Changkija sits in the 100th spot with $93,823 earned on the season. She’s just $600 in front of Laetitia Beck at No. 101, and $1,500 behind Cydney Clanton at No. 99.
All three are in the field this week in Portland.
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