Week in golf sees Henderson reaching Canadian icon status
1 Henderson becomes superstar
As a 20-year-old, Brooke Henderson has elevated her level in Canadian golf to icon status following her victory last week at the CP Open held at Regina’s Wascana club.
Already with seven LPGA wins, Henderson is not just another Canadian golfer. No, her status is now on par with Sandra Post’s or even Mike Weir’s. Henderson needs one more LPGA title to match both Post and Weir and George Knudson with eight victories — the most for Canadian professional golfers.
It’s hard to put into words the effect Henderson will have on women’s golf in Canada. But Weir’s Masters victory gave a huge push to the men’s game in this country. Just ask Graham Delaet or Adam Hadwin what his Masters win did for their career objectives.
Henderson has the potential to be an LPGA legend among the game’s brightest stars, like Annika Sorenstam. Henderson is that good. Did we mention she is only 20? The LPGA Tour has moved to Portland, Ore., this week for the Cambia Portland Classic. Henderson, a former winner of this event, will be there.
2 Swan song for Spittle
As Henderson’s career is just taking off, another Canadian professional is winding his down.
Rod Spittle, 63, is playing in his last professional tournament this week at the Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary. Spittle, the winner of the 2010 AT&T Championship, is playing in his 195th Champions Tour event. He joined the senior circuit back in 2005.
His career is an interesting one. A star on his Ohio State college team alongside PGA stars John Cook and Joey Sindelar, Spittle wasn’t confident in his chances at playing professionally, so he went home and sold insurance for 25 years. After winning a couple of Canadian Amateur titles and keeping his game solid, he took the professional plunge when he turned 50. Since then, he’s won one event and had 23 top 10s. Not bad for a late bloomer.
3 Hadwin’s playoff hopes
Adam Hadwin is the lone Canadian in the field for the Dell Technologies event, the second of four PGA Tour playoff stops. Hadwin had a good event last weekend at the Northern Trust finishing tied for 11th.
4 Web.com Tour playoffs
Half a dozen Canadians remain in the chase for the Web.com Tour playoffs and its second event, the DHP Championship being held in Ohio. Adam Svensson, who has already sewn up his PGA Tour card, leads the Canadian contingent of Corey Conners, Ben Silverman, Ryan Yip, Roger Sloan and David Hearn.
5 Connelly in Denmark Canadian Austin Connelly is trying to get his game back in form at the Made In Denmark event being held in, well, Denmark. Connelly finished tied for 50th in the D+D Real Czech Masters last weekend. Before that event, Connelly had missed three straights cuts.