‘I believe I can be No. 1’
Henderson looks ahead to 2017 on LPGA
OTTAWA • It was one of those years that would make a f eel- good, pinch- me- Imust- be- dreaming, madefor-TV movie.
What 19- year- old Brooke Henderson accomplished during her second season on the LPGA Tour was amazing. The small- town girl from Smiths Falls, Ont., was sensational, winning a coveted major — the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, along with another tour event (the Cambia Portland Classic for the second straight year) — and at one point, even rocketed to second in the Rolex women’s world golf rankings. She settled in at eighth by season’s end.
With valuable experience in her rear-view mirror, she’s looking to make waves again in 2017.
“Last year, my goal was to have my world ranking in the top 10. I did that,” said Henderson from Florida, where she is practising and training. “Being second, it was amazing. Knowing that I’ve been so close to that No. 1 spot, that kind of gives me a little extra motivation. I hope to finish in the top five this year and slowly make my climb toward the No. 1 spot — that would be success for me.
“Lydia Ko’s been at No. 1 for a long time. The players that have been No. 1 before, it takes a lot of hard work and determination. You also need some breaks here and there. I believe it’s possible. I believe I can be No. 1.”
Henderson was home for almost a month before l eaving f or Florida l ate Christmas Day. She was at Canadian Tire Centre to see Chris Neil honoured for his 1,000th game as a Senator. She was also in attendance for a Dec. 3 game, getting a standing ovation when she was introduced.
“It was amazing, it was pretty cool,” said Henderson, who has become something of a celebrity and role model for young golfers.
“It’s kind of surreal. It gives me shivers a bit. It gives me motivation that I might be inspiring ( young golfers) a bit. I hope I can show them you can go after whatever you want in life, you can have belief and hope. I remember some of the pros that were extra nice to me when I was young. It meant a lot. I’ve tried to repay that to some of the younger girls and boys.”
Henderson gets back into the swing of things for a tour event the last week of January in the Bahamas, taking forward plenty of lessons learned in 2016.
“Overall, consistency is what I’m looking for in all aspects of my game. I’ve been working on my short game for a long time. Wedges last year were really important to me. I feel because of the work I put in last year, I’m getting closer to having a really awesome wedge game, which you really need on the LPGA Tour. My driving improved a lot. The first half of the year, I was averaging about 270 yards. That’s really good for a girl who’s 5-foot- 4. I’m hoping in 2017 I can continue to work on the little things that, hopefully, will make a difference in my all-around game.”