Focus key for Henderson ahead of Games
Canadian star, world No. 2 levels off after whirlwind June on LPGA Tour
It was, in a lot of ways, a predictable letdown after a remarkable peak.
Brooke Henderson, the 18-year-old Canadian golfing phenom, had spent a whirlwind June announcing her awesomeness to the sporting world. In the span of three Sundays, she won two tournaments on the LPGA Tour, including a win over world No.1 Lydia Ko in a playoff at the women’s PGA Championship.
Given that success, and given that Henderson is tall, blond and charmingly humble, it’s safe to say she was deluged with media requests and other profitable opportunities.
And so maybe it was to be expected that her results in the first few weeks of July didn’t do justice to her talent as the current world No. 2. Henderson barely made the cut at the U.S. Open, finishing 64th. A week later, at the LPGA Tour’s Marathon Classic, she ended up tied for 38th.
Heading into this weekend’s Women’s British Open — the most significant event in the lead-up to a women’s Olympic golf tournament that runs Aug.17-20 — her form suggested she could use a little rest.
She hasn’t had much of a chance for one, to be sure.
Henderson has played more competitive rounds than any player on the LPGA Tour this year — 77. Ko, by contrast, has only played 59.
“She’s probably struggled in (the first few weeks of July) probably due to taking on too much,” said Tristan Mullally, the coach of the national women’s team.
“That schedule would have been fine if you don’t win, because you don’t have all the extra media, you don’t have all the extra things you’re doing. That schedule probably only becomes challenging when you end up having to do a ton more media.
“It became a bit of a monster. It’s been a challenge.”
That’s not to say Henderson won’t be among the gold-medal favourites at the Olympics, where she’ll be joined by Hamilton’s Alena Sharp in a quest to bring home a medal as golf returns to the Games for the first time since 1904 on windswept seaside course that’s been purpose-built for the occasion.
Still, balancing success with its many opportunities will be an art Henderson will have to master if she’s to fulfil her vast potential.
In the wake of Henderson’s win at the PGA Championship, no less an authority than Annika Sorenstam, the greatest women’s golfer of all time, said Henderson will need to make a conscious effort not to overload her schedule with every moneymaking opportunity that comes her way, of which there will be many.
“There’s nothing worse than, all of a sudden, you invite everybody in, and then you get so frustrated that you don’t have time to do everything you need to do,” Sorenstam said. “You have to keep in mind that golf is what got you there in the first place.”
All of that said, there are a zillion reasons to believe Henderson will be able to follow up her early success in Rio and elsewhere. Sorenstam, who has spoken of Henderson’s “unlimited potential,” can rhyme off a few.
“She’s a great driver of the ball, she’s making clutch putts,” Sorenstam said.
And maybe above all, she’s got a mental approach to be envied.
“She just plays golf, doesn’t overthink it,” Sorestam said. “A lot of players are very technical, they’re trying to force things. She plays the game. She grips down on the club.
“She’s probably struggled in (the first few weeks of July) probably due to taking on too much.” TRISTAN MULLALLY CANADA’S WOMEN’S GOLF COACH
She has a lot of feel. You need to have a good combination of feel and technique and she displays both, and that I like. That’s a person with a great future, because they can adapt to the situation. It’s fun to watch. We all know this is the beginning from her.”
Mullally, in the wake of Henderson’s win at the PGA Championship, pointed to the way she approached the tournament-clinching putt.
“A couple of feet to win your first major championship. But it didn’t take any longer than her normal routine. She went about her day-to-day thing and let it happen,” Mullally said. “I think a lot of people in that situation would overthink it, spend way more time, and ultimately make things more difficult for themselves.”
Sharp, as a 35-year-old veteran of pro golf, knows what it’s like to suffer from paralysis by analysis on a putting green or a fairway.
“I think it happens with age, too. We just think too much,” Sharp said.
And Sharp doesn’t think it’s a total coincidence she’s currently enjoying her best year on tour while spending time practising and socializing with Henderson.
“She just goes out and plays. She’s not trying too hard. She’s just using her athletic ability and being aggressive and not seeing where bad things can happen. As you get older, you see those things,” Sharp said. “She doesn’t have fear of failure, or messing up. And as we get older, we get tentative. You start thinking too much. You’ve been through more things. You’ve been to more tournaments. And you know that sometimes bad things happen. And sometimes they stay in your mind more. I think when you’re younger, you don’t worry about that. Being around her, it’s helped me get back to that, for sure.”
Whether Henderson will be able to weather her whirlwind summer and rediscover her form in time to make a date with a medal podium remains to be seen.
But Mullally offers a reason for Canadian-based faith.
“The reality is that even though she won those two events (in July), she hasn’t yet played her best,” Mullally said. “That’s a scary thought for other players. And a good thing for us.”
OTHER MEDAL FAVOURITES
Lydia Ko, New Zealand: A relative tour veteran at 19 years of age (compared to Henderson’s 18), Ko is the world No. 1 for a reason. Already the owner of 14 LPGA Tour titles, including two majors, her career earnings surpassed $10 million earlier this month.
Lexi Thompson, U.S.: A pro since age 15, the 21-year-old from Florida is a seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour. While U.S. men’s counterparts like Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson bailed on the Games, Thompson called a trip to Rio her “No. 1goal” for 2016.
Sei Young Kim, South Korea: There might not be a tougher Olympic team to make than South Korea’s women’s golf squad, such is the country’s depth of talent. Still, with world No. 3 Inbee Park expected to be in Rio but plagued by injuries, Kim, the world No. 5, will be expected to lead the charge.