It has been eight years since Brooke Henderson’s first appearance in a U.S. Women’s Open. In 2013, the Canadian qualified as a 15-year-old, earning co-medalist honors at Edgewood Country Club in New Jersey to make her way into the prestigious championship at Sebonack Golf Club. After qualifying again in 2014, Henderson would be gifted a memory of a lifetime at Pinehurst Resort, a moment she still remembers fondly.
“This tournament has always played, has a special spot in my heart. In 2014, I was low amateur, got to be on the 18th green when Michelle Wie West was awarded her trophy, which is a pretty incredible feeling,” said Henderson, who two years later would become a major champion herself at the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. “I got the little medal that day, but hopefully someday I'll get the big trophy.”
Henderson has a knack for top results at major championships. Since 2015, Henderson is ranked fourth in the most top-10 finishes in women’s majors with 10, tied with Lydia Ko and Sei Young Kim. Only Lexi Thompson (11), Ariya Jutanugarn (11), So Yeon Ryu (13) and Inbee Park (15) have more. She comes into the major just under six weeks removed from her most recent victory at the HUGEL AIR-PREMIA LA Open, the 10th of her career. Henderson is hoping to become just the third player since 2014 to have won an LPGA Tour event earlier in the season and then the U.S. Women’s Open, but knows she’ll have to rise to the challenge of the famed Olympic Club to do so.
“Any major championship, especially here at Olympic Club, this course is super challenging, and when you look back at the scores of the previous tournaments that have been held here, it's pretty eye opening to see that the winning score was plus one after four rounds. You're not used to that,” said Henderson. “So it's a whole different mindset. Normally, you try to chase as many birdies as you can, whereas this week, honestly, I think you're trying to chase as many pars as you can.”
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