CHASKA, Minn. — Brooke Henderson got some incredibly happy news before she teed off on Thursday morning at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

She had officially become an aunt.

Brooke’s sister, Brittany—who had been Henderson’s caddie since the beginning of her professional golf career and stepped away earlier this year because of her pregnancy—welcomed her first daughter on June 25 alongside her husband, Zach Sepanik.

Of course, it was a special moment for the Hendersons, as the little one is the first of the family’s next generation, but it was made even more so by the name Brittany and Zach wound up choosing for their child, one that has several different levels of deeper meaning.

“Her name is Sahalee, which really means a lot to our whole family, and the meaning high heavenly grounds also has a very special connection,” said Henderson. “I can't wait to meet her.”

Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash. was the venue at which Brooke won her first major—the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. It’s been 10 years since that triumph, one that saw the fresh-faced young talent win in a playoff over Lydia Ko, so it made sense that Brittany, who was on the bag that week, would choose the unique moniker as her daughter’s name.

And it’s now just another way in which the Hendersons will forever be connected to one of the most iconic courses in Washington state.

“Honestly, what a way to start the week,” said Henderson with a smile. “Perfect start to get under par, hear my niece was born and doing very well, 10-year anniversary of when I won at Sahalee in 2016. Great day overall, and hopefully, carry that through the rest of the weekend.”

Brooke carded a 3-under 69 to open her week at Hazeltine Golf Club in the third major championship of the 2026 season, making one bogey and four birdies to sit in a tie for eighth after day one play concluded. Two of those birdies came back-to-back on the par-5 11th and par-4 12th holes, after the 14-time LPGA Tour winner knocked her third shot close from 106 yards on the former and stuffed her 170-yard approach shot to two feet on the latter.

The 69 is the two-time major champion’s 59th round in the 60s in a major since 2014, a statistic in which Henderson ranks second on the LPGA Tour, only behind defending KPMG Women’s PGA champion Minjee Lee. It’s a solid effort that has Henderson lurking in Minnesota, an early performance the Canadian will be looking to build on over the next three rounds as she chases her first major title since the 2022 Amundi Evian Championship.

“I feel like I did a lot of things well,” Henderson said. “Energy levels were really great thanks to the news this morning. I was able to make a lot of putts, and I feel like I'm in a good spot. I feel better than I have in a while, and excited for what the rest of this week and the rest of the season holds.”

But no matter what ultimately transpires in the 54 holes upcoming, next week Brooke will have a niece to go and meet, one that she’ll be able to tell all about her 2016 win at Sahalee someday, explaining every shot that gave the kid her name.

Brooke Henderson Becomes Aunt to Baby Sahalee, Posts First-Round 69 at KPMG Women’s PGA

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