VANCOUVER – It’s the same kind of week that Brooke Henderson has come to expect at the CPKC Women’s Open. Her face is everywhere. From the autograph zone to the VIP entrances to the tickets themselves – it’s big and prominent. And deserved.
Five years since her triumph at Canada’s national open in Regina – breaking a 45-year drought on the women’s side – Henderson has gone on to win another major on the LPGA Tour and notched her 13th career title earlier this year at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
But this, and this week, never gets old. And, with just two months left in the season, this is the kind of event where Henderson is keen to end her year in the same strong way she started.
“I feel like here on tour time goes by really quickly. I can’t believe it’s already August this year and only have eight events left for my playing schedule. Things go by really quick,” Henderson said. “To be in the final group again and feeling that energy was a big boost. Hopefully the next few weeks here – I’m playing three in a row – so hopefully I can get that feeling again.”
Henderson was firmly in the mix at the Amundi Evian Championship, the fourth of five majors on the LPGA Tour schedule, but her runner-up result in France was just her second top-10 finish of the season. At the final major of the year, the AIG Women’s Open, she missed the cut in England.
Her ball-striking this season hasn’t been up to her usual standard, and that, Henderson said, would be the key this week. Henderson is 33rd on the LPGA Tour in greens in regulation on the year, a stat she was fifth in last year and fourth the year prior.
Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club hosted the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open in 2011 and the winning score was 4 under. It’s a stout, championship test.
Henderson said being crisp with her approaches into the slopey and quick greens is going to be important.
“The fairways are pretty tight, and the greens are pretty small, so ball striking will definitely be very important and a big key,” Henderson said. “I am heading out to the range after this to work on some ball striking, so hopefully it’s sharp come Thursday.”
Last week Henderson took a week off back at home in Ontario and flew into Vancouver on Sunday rested and ready – and sporting a new look.
Henderson, who wears glasses off the course for things like movies and sight-seeing (no pun intended), decided to keep them on while she played. She admitted it was “a bit of a change” but she knew that it was time. Henderson began practising with them on last week.
“It just time that I wanted to be able to see things a little bit better and maybe not depend on Brit so much,” Henderson said, speaking of her sister and caddie. “This will be the first week in competition. I’m excited […] it’s really nice to be able to see some things.
“Hopefully it gives me maybe not an advantage but helps me improve my game a little bit.”
Henderson is one of 15 Canadians in the field all eyeing the title this week in Vancouver, with Maddie Szeryk the only other full-time LPGA Tour member in the field. Szeryk’s sister, Ellie, is teeing it up on a sponsor invite (the first time they’ve played together in an LPGA Tour event) while Victoria Liu – who goes to Princeton – is a Shaughnessy member playing the LPGA Tour this week. Then there’s Alena Sharp. The veteran is playing her 18th CPKC Women’s Open and was low Canadian last year in Ottawa. She’s won on the Epson Tour this year and has five top-10 results on the LPGA’s feeder circuit.
But while there are plenty of notable names flying the Canadian flag this week, none are as prominent as Henderson.
Henderson said she gets goosebumps any time she revisits that Sunday afternoon in Regina five years ago in her mind and she just wants the opportunity to try to do that again.
Her game plan is in place and her vision for the week is clear. Now it’s just time to execute in front of a home-country crowd.
“This week is a big deal. It’s the highlight of my year pretty much every year,” Henderson said. “Winning this championship back in 2018 is definitely the highlight of my career, so I would love to be able to do that again someday.”
from Sportsnet.ca
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