Canada’s best, ever
At 21, Canadian record for tour victories is already in the bag after Michigan title
Brooke Henderson becomes country’s winningest pro golfer with her ninth LPGA victory,
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.— Brooke Henderson won the Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday to break the Canadian record for tour victories with nine.
The 21-year-old Henderson led wire-to-wire for her second victory in three years at Blythefield Country Club, closing with a 2-under 70 in chilly conditions to hold off Lexi Thompson, Nasa Hataoka, Su Oh and Brittany Altomare by a stroke.
Henderson broke a tie with Sandra Post for the Canadian record on the LPGA Tour and moved ahead of George Knudson and Mike Weir, who won eight times on the PGA Tour.
“That’s really cool,” Henderson said. “Earlier this year, to get my eighth win and to tie that record was a huge deal for me. Now to kind of break through, that is awesome. I’m just really excited for the rest of the summer and hopefully many more wins in the future.”
“I was shaking pretty bad on those last couple putts.” BROOKE HENDERSON LPGA continued on S8
With sister (also caddy) Brittany and mother Darlene looking on, Henderson’s dad Dave sprayed her with champagne to celebrate.
“It’s really special,” Henderson said. “I’m so happy that both my mom and my dad can be out here to watch my sister and I win this. It’s always special when they’re here, especially on Father’s Day.”
Henderson, who also won the Lotte Championship in April in Hawaii, matched the tournament record of 21 under part that she set in 2017, matched last year by So Yeon Ryu. Henderson opened with consecutive 64s, playing 30 holes Friday after rain delayed the start on Thursday, and had a 69 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead into the final round.
“It’s a lot like the courses I grew up playing back home in Canada,” Henderson said. “I love it out here. Just trying to hit good shots and hopefully make a lot of birdies. Didn’t make as many as I wanted, but just enough.”
With her lead reduced to a stroke after a bogey on the par-4 16th, she three-putted the par-5 18th from 45 feet for the winning par.
“When I was walking up here, I thought maybe I would have to birdie or eagle this hole to get the job done, but when I looked at the scoreboard I was sort of shocked that all I needed to do was three-putt and par,” Henderson said.
“I’m really grateful about that, because I was shaking pretty bad on those last couple putts.”
Thompson followed a courserecord 62 in the third round with a 68, closing with an eagle for the second straight day. The 2015 winner at Blythefield was coming off a victory last week in New Jersey.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t hit it that great today, but I made some really good putts on my second nine,” Thompson said. “I had a little bit of a muscle spasm in my shoulder all day, but it is what it is. You can’t control that. So, overall great week.”
Hataoka finished with a 65, also making an eagle on the par-5 18th. Oh had a 66 and Altomare shot 68.
Hamilton’s Alena Sharp also had a strong tournament, finishing tied for ninth at 13-under with a final round of 72. Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee finished at 2under while Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City was at 1-under.
Jennifer Kupcho, four strokes behind Henderson entering the day, shot 76 to drop into a tie for 23rd at 11 under in her third professional start. The former Wake Forest star won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April. The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship starts Thursday at Hazeltine in Minnesota. Henderson won the event in 2016, her first major championship.