With the 2019 LPGA Tour season set to begin in a few weeks, Golf Town athlete Brooke Henderson can’t wait to tee it up again.
Henderson has her sights set on some Canadian history this year, and says she’s so excited to continue to pursue reaching No. 1 in the world.
“To have seven wins on the LPGA Tour already is really incredible. It’s a dream come true to play on the LPGA Tour and to have seven wins is just so awesome,” says Henderson, who, in 2019, will begin her pursuit of the all-time professional record (male or female) for wins by a Canadian.
Mike Weir, George Knudson, and Sandra Post, who all recorded eight victories throughout their storied careers, jointly hold the record. Weir and Post, like Henderson, also have a major championship title to their respective resumes.
“It’s just amazing,” she says. “To be even considered among those incredible golfers that came before me.”
None of the trio has a Canadian Open title to their credit – something Henderson accomplished in 2018 in Regina, Saskatchewan.
“The CP Women’s Open… it’s a huge week for me. I consider it the sixth major on the LPGA Tour and to be the defending champion is so cool,” says Henderson.
In August, in front of hundreds of young members of the #BrookeBrigade and thousands of Canadian supporters, Henderson captured the CP Women’s Open title by four shots. Her seventh win on the LPGA Tour was her most memorable so far, she says, and she’s already got that event circled on her calendar for 2019.
“I’m really excited to get back there, especially with it being in such a great area (just north of Toronto). There’s going to be tons of fans and spectators and the Brooke Brigade will hopefully be out in full force to support me there,” she says. “I’m really looking forward to that week and hopefully I keep that trophy for another year.”
The 2019 LPGA Tour schedule features four new tournaments in its 33-event schedule. The LPGA Tour will be playing for a record amount of prize money throughout 2019, at nearly $71 million, and there will be three new tournament formats this year, too.
“The 2019 schedule for the LPGA Tour looks like a lot of fun. There are some different formats and we’re going to some different places and I’m really looking forward to it,” says Henderson.
The 21-year-old is excited to defend her title at both the CP Women’s Open and the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii early in the season. She’ll start her year at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions January 17th and is currently ninth in the world rankings.
Henderson says the world ranking is important to her, as it shows her consistency throughout the year. Although she fell out of the top-10 for a part of 2018, she’s back inside that number now, and says that’s where she feels like she belongs.
“I’ve worked my way back in and I hope to… continue to climb. I’ll still play a lot of tournaments and compete hopefully every week, and hopefully get closer to that No. 1 spot,” she says.
But despite the eagerness to climb the world rankings, her increased excitement level to defend her title at the CP Women’s Open, and the fact that she is one of the most recognizable athletes in Canada, she’s staying as humble as ever as she begins yet another year on the LPGA Tour.
“I’m just trying to do what I do every single day and be a better person and a better golfer,” she says. “And if I can inspire some people along the way I think that’s pretty cool.”
Good luck Brooke!! ALL of Canada is behind you!! ANDDD all so proud of you!!
Best ever year for B. Henderson.
Hello Brooke,
You should be very proud of your accomplishments on the course in 2018, but also your efforts of promoting the game and sports in general.
Congratulations and looking forward to your 2019 challenge. Good luck in your endeavours!!
Over the years many Canadian athletes have not reached the pinnacle of success in their sport but they were usually given support like…”Nice try! Good effort! Maybe next time!”
What a treat for Brooke to have all her successes. She has been called “The Smiling Assasin.” A true champion that has gone beyond….”Nice try!” Well done!