The last time the LPGA Tour played an event in California, Golf Town Athlete Brooke Henderson walked away with the trophy.

Now, as the LPGA Tour returns for the U.S. Women’s Open, she’s hoping for more of the same.

“I definitely love playing in California,” Brooke said.

Brooke’s career at the U.S. Women’s Open has been an interesting one, as she started with a bang, but hasn’t quite had the results she’s wanted the last few years, she said.

“It was really a ground-breaking event for me just to qualify and get a top-10 and finish as Low Amateur when I was only 16,” said Brooke of her big-time effort in 2014, “and that was the first cut I ever made on the LPGA Tour back in 2013, so it’s always been a huge event for me!”

Brooke backed up that T10 result in 2014 with a T5 in 2015. But the last two years she’s finished T39 and T44.

“I didn’t have the result I wanted last year, that seems to be the case for the last couple of U.S. Women’s Opens, so hopefully I can change that this year!” said Brooke. “U.S. Open week is such an exciting week and I’m really looking forward to competing again.”

To go along with Brooke’s victory at the HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open in April, she has also notched three other top-10 finishes so far and was in Las Vegas for the Tour’s first match-play event since 2017 last week.

The LPGA Tour annually plays an event, the LPGA Mediheal Championship, at the Lake Merced Golf Club, where Brooke says the players can see one hole of The Olympic Club, where this year’s U.S. Open is being contested.

“You can see one hole of The Olympic Club across the way, so I know it’s going to be super hilly. It just looks completely vertical,” said Brooke with a laugh, “so hopefully Brittany is prepared too.”

The Olympic Club has hosted many of the top events on the men’s side, including five U.S. Open championships (the most recent happening in 2012). It will also host the PGA Championship in 2028 and the Ryder Cup in 2032. This is the first time the LPGA Tour has played its iconic layout.

“I’m really looking forward to it and for the women to have the opportunity to play Olympic is really cool,” said Brooke.

As far as preparing for the U.S. Women’s Open goes, an event that is long known as one of the most difficult on the LPGA Tour’s schedule, Brooke said she’s going to focus on patience.

“It’s probably the most important thing at a U.S. Women’s Open,” she said. “Some of my top finishes I actually was right near the cut line after Friday evening, and it doesn’t really matter where you are the first two days. I think the last couple of years I panicked a little early and pushed a little too much.

“Staying patient and just hitting smart shots will be key. For me, I love to play aggressive, so I’ll take opportunities when I can get them.”

So, Brooke Henderson makes a return to California for the U.S. Women’s Open, and despite knowing how difficult the major championship set up will be, she is already eager for taking on that challenge.

“I know it will challenge everything, said Brooke, “but I’m really looking forward to the Olympic Club!”