CHASKA, Minn. — Ten years ago, a baby-faced, 17-year-old Brooke Henderson hoisted the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship trophy at Sahalee Country Club after beating New Zealand’s Lydia Ko in a playoff in Sammamish Wash.

A decade later, Brooke is 28 years old, a 14-time LPGA Tour winner, two-time major champion and three-time Olympian, who is now contending for her third career major title at Hazeltine National Golf Club in the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

The Canadian superstar, who is country’s winningest professional golfer with 14 LPGA Tour victories and counting, is alone in second at 10-under overall in Chaska, Minn., trailing the Republic of Korea’s Haeran Ryu by just one stroke in pursuit of her first major triumph since the 2022 Amundi Evian Championship.

Brooke is the only player in the field this week to have carded all three rounds in the 60s, posting a 69 on Thursday, a 68 on Friday and another 69 on Saturday. She leads the field in strokes gained tee-to-green (4.132) and ranks second in both strokes gained total (4.219) and strokes gained off-the-tee (1.368) thus far, making only three bogeys across the first 54 holes, which has her tied for the second fewest among her fellow competitors.

That incredibly solid performance has put Henderson in a prime position to pick up a second KPMG Women’s PGA trophy, a hefty piece of metal that Brooke is excited to battle for just outside of Minneapolis.

“I think everyone in this field, that's where they wanted to be starting Sunday was in that final group,” said Henderson. “It was a lot of fun for me to play in the final group today. It's been a little while, since I guess Canada, since I was in a final group. It was a lot of fun and good energy, and I'm excited that I was able to put myself back in that position for tomorrow.”

It’s not just the fact that 2026 marks the 10-year anniversary of her first major win at Sahalee that’s making the stars feel aligned in Brooke’s favor.

On Thursday morning before the start of the first round, Henderson’s older sister Brittany, who has caddied for Brooke in every tournament she’s won as a member of the LPGA Tour, welcomed her first daughter in the wee hours of Thursday morning, fittingly naming her baby girl after the course at which the sisters celebrated victory in 2016.

“It's been an awesome week. Honestly, I think it's all thanks to my niece coming into this world. I've just been really happy,” said Henderson. “I've been working really hard on myself and also my game coming into this week, so I feel like it's nice to see it pay off a bit. But thanks to my niece, I feel like we're riding good energy, and I'm just looking forward to the opportunity tomorrow to hopefully post a good round and just see what happens.”

Brittany put down Brooke’s bag earlier in the season as her pregnancy progressed, and while it’s changed shoulders a couple of times since, Henderson has settled on her cousin Ryan as a suitable fill-in for her older sibling.

“We grew up playing golf together, so we've always known each other really well, on the course and off,” Brooke explained. “I feel like it's been a really smooth transition, him coming out to caddie. He understands the game well, and he knows what I need, which I think is really key.

“Anything that I need from him, he's like right there and willing to help. I feel like it's been a really good partnership so far, and obviously, this week, it's been going great, so hopefully another good day tomorrow, and I'm excited to continue working with him.”

Even though she’s not on-site, Brittany and a days-old Sahalee, along with Henderson’s brother-in-law Zach, have certainly been keeping a weather eye on Brooke’s steady climb up the leaderboard at the year’s third major championship, with the threesome rooting on “Aunt Brooke” from afar as she chases history in Minnesota.

And who knows? If Brooke gets it done on Sunday in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, there might just be a kid named Hazel in the Henderson family’s future, another fitting tribute at the major that clearly means the most to the Canadian.

Brooke Henderson to Win KPMG Women's PGA 10 Years After Playoff Victory at Sahalee

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