Calgary Herald

HENDERSON GRANTED LPGA TOUR CARD

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Last weekend, rising golf star Brooke Henderson became the second golfer in LPGA history to go from Monday qualifier to tournament winner. Her road to any future Tour titles will be much shorter.

The LPGA granted Henderson full membership on Tuesday after the 17- year- old Canadian cruised to victory at the Cambia Portland Classic, winning by eight strokes.

LPGA policy states that any woman 18 years of age or over is eligible to apply for Tour membership, but golfers between 15 and 18 may be granted special permission to apply for membership by petitionin­g directly to the Tour commission­er.

“After reviewing Brooke Henderson’s petition, I have granted her LPGA Tour membership beginning immediatel­y,” Tour commission­er Michael Whan said in a statement. “Brooke truly earned her card.…”

Any money Henderson earns during the remainder of this season will be considered official money. The 10 remaining tournament­s of 2015 will also be considered her rookie season on the LPGA Tour. The native of Smiths Falls, Ont., has had a breakout 2015 season despite having to rely on sponsors exemptions or Monday qualifiers to play. Her win in Portland moved her to No. 17 in the world rankings, boosted her earnings over $ 660,000 US and secured her 2016 card. Despite her success, she faced having to qualify for the rest of the tournament­s this year because she had exhausted all six of her sponsor’s exemptions. Now she can put that potential distractio­n behind her just in time for this week’s $ 2.25- million Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

“I am so grateful for the opportunit­y to join the Tour as a member and play alongside so many of my role models,” Henderson said in a statement. “Realizing this dream here at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in my native Canada is even more amazing and I am so proud to be an ambassador for golf in this amazing country.”

Henderson petitioned the LPGA to allow her to attend qualifying school last year, but was turned down.

With her historic win last week, Henderson became the first Canadian to win an LPGA event since Charlottet­own’s Lorie Kane in 2001 and the Tour’s third- youngest champion ever at 17 years 11 months six days.

She’ll have a chance to end another Canadian drought this week. No Canadian has won an LPGA Tour event on home soil since Jocelyne Bourassa of Shawinigan, Que., claimed the ’ 73 La Canadienne — the precursor to the Canadian Women’s Open — in Montreal.

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