Henderson has a lot of catching up to do in Florida
Canadian is seven shots behind leader after opening round of the season finale
NAPLES, FLA. Brooke Henderson had a front-row seat to one of the rounds of the day at the LPGA Tour Championship on Thursday. It just wasn’t hers.
The native of Smiths Falls, Ont. shot a 1-under 71 in the opening round of the season finale, seven shots back of leader Jeongeun Lee6.
Henderson was grouped with Minjee Lee, who shot 6-under 66 — including six birdies in a seven-hole stretch on the front nine.
“When you play with someone like that and when you’re playing well, it’s great because you feed off each other and keep it going. But when those putts aren’t dropping for you and you see other people doing it, it’s a little more frustrating,” Henderson, ranked 10th in the world, told the Star.
Indeed, day one at Tiburon Golf Club was a microcosm of Henderson’s season. She hit 13 of 14 fairways and missed only two greens, but needed 33 putts.
“Just sort of annoying,” she said. “At times I feel like I hit it really well and gave myself a lot of good looks, and other times not so good. It was just a real mix.”
Henderson made back-to-back birdies after the turn.
But on the par-5 17th, following a bogey on 16, Henderson decided to go for it with a fairway metal. The shot landed in a bunker in front of the green.
Three putts later, she notched another late bogey.
Jennifer Kupcho, Celine Boutier, Mina Harigae and Sei Young Kim — who won the 2019 Tour Championship — were all tied at 7-under at the tournament where golfer of the year will also be decided.
Nelly Korda and defending champion Jin Young Ko have four titles apiece in 2021 and are neck-andneck in the points race.
Korda had the upper hand Thursday with a 6-under 66, after winning last week’s Pelican Women’s Championship. Ko shot 2-under 70.
“I was just zoned in,” said Korda, who was also the Olympic gold medallist in Tokyo. “I think I just struck it really well. I gave myself some good looks probably inside 10 feet. Two oopsies with two threeputts, but I think I hit a majority of the greens and gave myself some really good looks.”
Henderson said most golfers took better advantage of the course setup than she did, which means she’ll likely make changes to her game plan Friday.
“I might be a little more aggressive,” she said, “seeing as I’m pretty far back and there’s nothing to lose.”
Henderson will be paired with Danielle Kang in the second round.