Henderson aims to continue `dream start' to season

The women's professional golf season gets into full swing this week with two events on opposite sides of the globe.

Superstar Brooke Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., is the only Canadian in the field at the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore, the third stop on the LPGA Tour's calendar. Likewise, Selena Costabile, of Thornhill, Ont., is the only Canuck playing in the Florida's Natural Charity Classic, the season-opening event of the second-tier Epson Tour.

Henderson is No. 1 on the Race to CME Globe rankings after winning the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions on Jan. 19 to start the LPGA Tour season. She tied for 44th at last week's Honda LPGA Thailand, despite not having her own clubs for the first two rounds of the tournament.

“It was a dream start, winning the first event of the year, a month and a half ago,” Henderson said. “(I'm) trying to see if I can just continue to put myself in good positions on the weekend in contention and hopefully battle for a few more trophies.”

The Women's World Championship has nine of the top 10 players on the LPGA Tour in the field and is considered one of the most elite women's golf tournaments in Asia.

In Thursday's opening round, Henderson shot a 78, putting her 14 strokes behind leader Elizabeth Szokol, who sat at 8-under.

Like Henderson, Costabile is looking to regularly be in contention this year. In her case, that means consistently putting up good scores on the Epson Tour.

“I definitely want to get try to get a win out on the Epson Tour,” Costabile said.

She had some success on the Epson Tour last season, including two top-10 finishes.