Henderson looks to build on stellar 2015
Brooke Henderson became a star in the world of professional golf in 2015.
The teenager from Smiths Falls, Ont., won the Cambia Portland Classic in August, becoming the first Canadian to triumph in an LPGA Tour event since Lorie Kane in February 2001.
Henderson, 18, also won tournaments on the Suncoast, Symetra and Canadian women’s golf tours, and she was named female athlete of the year by Postmedia News and Canadian Press.
She wants more in 2016, too, and the process of earning it starts next week with the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic, the first event on the LPGA Tour schedule. Consider the following a metaphorical front nine for Henderson’s second go-round as a professional golfer. 1) What’s new? Full LPGA Tour membership: a reward for her eightstroke triumph at Portland.
Driver and 3- wood: both longer than previous models in her bag, they’re intended to produce even more power for someone already above average in driving distance, but intent on retaining that advantage. 2) Longer road ahead Perhaps the only down moment of 2015 came during a different kind of drive in July. Henderson was alone in the vehicle of her older sister, Brittany, when it was T-boned on a Michigan roadway. Henderson escaped serious injury, but, understandably sore, withdrew from a Symetra Tour event.
Still not 100 per cent a week later, she reduced her pre- tournament practice for the Women’s U. S. Open at Lancaster, Pa., but played well enough to tie for fifth. That translated into more than $141,000 US and a leap to 32nd in the world Rolex Rankings from 51st.
Five weeks after that she cruised to victory at Portland, Ore. She applied again to LPGA Tour commissioner Mike Whan for an exemption to the minimum-age requirement of 18; it was an easy decision because she would turn 18 in September anyway, but Whan granted it and the victory qualified Henderson for full membership immediately. 3) Olympic goal It’s not yet guaranteed because the final list of qualifiers won’t be available until July 11, but it appears only injury can keep Henderson from representing Canada in women’s golf at Rio de Janeiro. She’s 12th on the International Golf Federation’s list of 60 potential qualifiers.
Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, also on the LPGA Tour, stands 37th on the IGF list. Among men, PGA Tour players David Hearn ( 37 th) of Brantford, Ont., and Graham DeLaet (42nd) of Weyburn, Sask., are also inside the cut line. 4) Looking out for No. 1 Henderson was No. 1 in the women’s world amateur golf rankings in fall 2014, just before she turned pro. With only a small number of successful appearances in prolevel tournaments already on her resumé, she began last year 221st in the Rolex Rankings.
She’s No. 17 now and should move up. 5) Reducing cost, stress After starting in the Bahamas, the LPGA Tour travels to Ocala, Fla., and then to Australia, Thailand and Singapore before returning to North America. After gaining membership late in 2015 and ranking only 90th in “official” earnings with $100,294, Henderson is not qualified to play in Thailand, so instead she’ll tee up in the European tour’s RACV Ladies Masters on Australia’s Gold Coast. 6) Sister act, Part II Brittany Henderson, 25, also plays pro golf and for the second consecutive year has status on the developmental Symetra Tour.
However, Brittany could also reprise her role as Brooke’s caddie. Brittany, Dave Henderson and family friend Brian (Bunk) Lee split those duties last season. 7) Money matters Henderson earned more than $761,000 US last season on the LPGA Tour, mostly considered “unofficial” winnings because she was then a non-member, plus an undisclosed amount from corporate endorsements. 8) Pressing ahead Henderson took a twostroke lead into the final round of an April event at San Francisco, but let victory get away while playing with American Morgan Pressel, someone the young Canadian still regards as a golf idol. Coincidentally, Henderson also played with Pressel in Round 4 at Portland, and closed the deal. 9) Whatever you say, coach Tristan Mullally, coach of the Golf Canada women’s amateur team and still an adviser for Henderson through his role as Olympic coach, says she’s a known quantity on tour. Expectations are high and there will be more media and sponsor obligations; managing them will be key.