Henderson captures Symetra Tour title
Seventeen-year-old Smiths Falls golfer Brooke Henderson scored a pair of monumental victories on Sunday.
Henderson came from behind to capture her first Symetra Tour title in the Four Winds Invitational at South Bend, Ind., becoming the third-youngest winner in the tour’s history.
“It’s amazing to win and I’m so thankful that I got the sponsor’s exemption this week,’’ Henderson said. “I’m very grateful for the win here and I think it will be a big confidence booster moving forward.’’
The second huge win came hours later, when an announcement came that LPGA commissioner Michael Whan had ruled that Henderson could receive an exemption to the minimum age rule of 18, which governs both the LPGA and the Symetra Tour. While she is still not a member of the LPGA Tour, her victory on Sunday immediately made her eligible for the Symetra Tour, the official developmental tour for the LPGA Tour.
What that essentially means for Henderson is that she now has another avenue in which to try to qualify for full-time status on the LPGA Tour next season. While the $22,500 for her win on Sunday will not count toward her Symetra Tour earnings for the year, she would secure a spot on the LPGA Tour next season with a top-10 finish in the 2015 Symetra Tour standings.
Eleven 2015 Symetra Tour events have been played so far, and another 11 regular tournaments remain, along with the season-ending Symetra Tour Championship at Daytona Beach, Fla., in October.
As for the LPGA Tour, she can win to get in or continue to chase the equivalent of a top-40 money finish in 2015. The LPGA Tour had previously ruled that Henderson, despite still being under the minimum age of 18, could secure a spot on the tour next season by winning enough money to give her what would have been a 40th-place finish in 2015. She had about $317,000 after a tie for fifth place last week in the KPMG women’s PGA Championship, one of the tour’s five majors. Last year, season earnings of about $448,000 were needed to secure a top-40 finish.
On the golf course Sunday, Henderson completed a surge to the top, closing the Symetra event with a 3-under-par 69 for a three-stroke victory, finishing at 10-under 206 at the Blackthorn Golf Club. She had sat in a tie for 27th at the end of Round 1 on Friday.
"This win is huge for me,” Henderson said. “I have big goals and this is definitely a stepping stone towards them.” Henderson surged into the lead on Sunday with consecutive birdies on 11, 12 and 13. She parred the next four before giving a stroke back at 18.
“I was 1 under on the front nine and I knew I was near the lead, but I was kicking myself because I knew I needed to get it going,’’ she said. “Holes 11 and 12 were huge turning points, where Dottie (Ardina) and I kind of switched positions, and then I was able to keep it from there.’’
Second-round leader Ardina, of the Philippines, settled for a finalround 74 that left her in a four-way tie for second along with American Selanee Henderson (65), Jessica Wallace (70) of Langley, B.C., and Italy’s Giulia Molinaro (70).
Henderson’s older sister, Brittany, a regular on the Symetra Tour, wrapped up her weekend with a 3-under 69 that left her tied for 27th with a 2-under total.
Brittany followed Brooke from the 16th hole until the end.
“Brittany has been a huge role model for me and this week it has been awesome to be able to play with her,” Brooke said. “I’ve always followed in her footsteps, and I was so excited to see her on 16 and have her follow me in. She is one of my best friends, too.”