Brooke Henderson will probably never forget Sunday’s round at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, but that isn’t because of her current position on the leaderboard or the possibility that she might ultimately capture her 15th career LPGA Tour title.

Ahead of the LPGA Tour’s season-opening tournament in Orlando, Fla., it was first reported by Sportsnet’s Adam Stanley that Henderson’s sister and caddie, Brittany, would be stepping away from her looping duties after play wraps at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club because she is expecting her first child later this year.

The news might have been a bit of a shock for fans of the Henderson sisters, but Brooke admitted in her pre-tournament press conference that she has known for quite some time that this caddie switch was coming and is delighted for Brittany and her husband, Zach Sepanik, as they embark on a new journey as parents, more than ready to become an aunt.

“I couldn't be happier for Brit and Zach,” said Henderson. “It's going to change a lot of things. It's going to be an exciting new chapter. I just can't wait. I'm going spoil that kid a lot.”

Brooke and Brittany’s final-round walk at Lake Nona will certainly be bittersweet, as it marks the end of what’s been a fruitful era for the siblings competing on the LPGA Tour, a decade-long run that’s seen the duo capture two major championships, represent Canada in three Olympic Games and play for the inaugural World Team at the 2025 Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown.

While the accolades they’ve collected have certainly meant a lot to the sisters, Brooke says that what she has been most grateful for over the years is how she and Brittany have supported each other, both on and off the golf course, and how they have tackled every challenge together as a team.

“I'm just really proud of all the things we overcame in some of our tough years, or tough months or weeks,” said Henderson on Wednesday. “Being able to have somebody by your side, she helped me through a lot of tough times and helped me in a lot of really great times. It was just an incredible partnership that we had and still have this week.”

But the Hendersons haven’t given up hope just yet that they could win together one more time before Brittany puts down Brooke’s golf bag.

Through 54 holes in Orlando, Brooke is currently sitting at 7-under overall, a three-round total that was heavily bolstered by the 6-under 66 she carded on Moving Day in brutally cold, windy conditions at Lake Nona, weather that ultimately saw play get suspended at 4:18 p.m. local time with a few groups left on the golf course.

Brooke got off to a slow start on Thursday after posting a 1-over 73 that saw her make three birdies and four bogeys. She then didn’t do too much better on day two, carding a 2-under 70 that was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 second hole and two birdies on nine and 18.

But it was Saturday’s third round in which Brooke really shone, as the 28-year-old’s card was almost blemish-free en route to a 66 that vaulted her into the top 10 on the leaderboard after starting the day in a tie for 19th. She began round three on the back nine and picked up three birdies on 11, 15 and 18 to move to 4-under overall before making the turn.

Brooke then birdied holes one and three to climb to 6-under, making another birdie on the par-3 sixth hole to get to 7-under. She bogeyed eight to drop back to 6-under, but a closing birdie on the par-5 ninth hole saw her finish the day with a 66 and put herself in the winning conversation with 18 holes to go at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.

“Very pleased to shoot 6-under. It was really fun to make a bunch of birdies,” said Henderson. “I felt like I was hitting it really well, and Brit was doing a really good job of calculating distances and giving me the right yardage and the right clubs to hit, so it was really fun. I hit a lot of greens and gave myself a lot of opportunities, and it was nice to see some putts roll in.”

The Canadian always enjoys returning to Lake Nona Golf and Country Club, particularly as she picked up a trophy at the LPGA Tour’s season-opening tournament back in 2023. Henderson was starting to get a little worried last year that she might not have a spot in the field at this year’s Tournament of Champions as 2025 progressed and a victory – what she was hoping would be her first win since she triumphed at Lake Nona – continued to elude her.

But a back-and-forth battle with Australian major champion Minjee Lee in her home country at the CPKC Women’s Open saw Brooke ultimately hoist the 14th trophy of her career and secure a berth in the limited-field event, one that only sees LPGA Tour champions from the past two seasons participate.

And while it would likely take another round deep in the red to have a real shot at contending for the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions title on what’s set to be an incredibly cold Sunday at Lake Nona, Brooke is planning to give it all she’s got in pursuit of the top spot on the leaderboard, hoping that she and Brittany might find the winner’s circle together just one more time.

Henderson Hanging Around Top of HGVTOC Leaderboard in Last Tournament with Sister Brittany on Her Bag

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