Brooke Henderson has always had a special relationship with the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions presented by IOA – including before it was even an LPGA Tour event!
Before it was slotted into the LPGA Tour schedule, Brooke got a special invite to participate in the Diamond Resorts Invitational – a precursor to the LPGA event that was 54 holes and featured mostly PGA Tour Champions golfers – as one of just four LPGA Tour players who teed it up in 2017 and 2018.
She’s been able to take full advantage of her experience these last two seasons.
Brooke has finished T6-T4 at the tournament since its inception in 2019 and she’ll be gunning for a victory again this year, as the 2021 LPGA Tour season kicks off with the Tournament of Champions at the Four Seasons Golf & Sports Club Orlando on Jan. 21.
SEASON STARTER
Brooke earned a spot in the field thanks to her victories in 2019, as a win on the LPGA Tour gets a golfer into the Tournament of Champions field for the following two seasons (and for 2021 the LPGA Tour opened it up to the past three seasons, since so many events were cancelled due to COVID-19).
The tournament is unique, as the stars of the LPGA Tour get to tee it up alongside some heavy hitters in the world of sports, music, and business.
Special for 2021 includes the return of golf icon Annika Sorenstam, who will participate in the ‘celebrity’ division of the tournament.
“It’s really exciting to meet actors and to get to meet awesome athletes and people that are always around sports,” Brooke told LPGA.com in 2017. “It’s kind of eye-opening for me to see the different talent and how they go from their careers and go to golf, which is secondary to them.
“But they’re really, really good.”
2020 RECAP
As members of the Brooke Brigade are well aware, the 23-year-old is ‘really, really good’ herself!
She ended up sixth in the world at the end of the 2020 campaign, which was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. She finished in the top-10 in six out of 10 tournaments that she played last year and is looking to get off to a fabulous start to 2021 at a place she knows well.
Not only did Brooke finish T4 at the Tournament of Champions a year ago, but she also backed that up with a T15 at the Gainbridge LPGA the next week.
She wouldn’t play on the LPGA Tour again until August, however she’s excited to get back into some semblance of a routine as it relates to competition for 2021.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2021
“I’m just looking forward to the opportunity to play a lot more than we did this year,” Brooke said at the end of last year, “and hopefully get back on my winning streak!”
Brooke has won twice on the LPGA Tour every year since 2016 – her last victory came at the Meijer LPGA Classic in 2019, her ninth career title, the most of any Canadian on the LPGA or PGA Tour in history – and although she didn’t lift a trophy in 2020, she did not play anything close to a full season.
While the balance of her 2021 schedule is still to be confirmed, you can be sure she’ll have some big events circled on the calendar, including the hopeful return of the CP Women’s Open in Vancouver later this summer.
The LPGA Tour eases into its 2021 schedule with just one tournament in January and one in February before things really get moving come March – and it all gets started for Brooke at the Tournament of Champions, an event that’s been special to her for her whole career.
ALENA SHARP TO HELP FIND NEW LPGA COMMISSIONER
While fellow Canadian Alena Sharp will not be in the field at the Tournament of Champions, she may have a bigger role to play than just on the course.
Alena, who will represent Canada alongside Brooke at the Tokyo Olympics, was named by the LPGA Tour as a part of the search committee as the organization searches for a replacement to outgoing commissioner Mike Whan.
Whan, who has been at the helm of the Tour for 11 years, announced in early January he was stepping away from being commissioner “at some point” in 2021.
The search is now underway for his replacement.
Alena was voted as a Player Director on the LPGA Tour board in 2019 and is the only full-time LPGA Tour player who is on the search committee.
No a fence but I think it’s time to get another cattie you need a chance I would love to see you play your own game .I know it would be difficult to brake off with your sister. You have the talent to be at the top. No Canadian has ever had the talent that you have. You are our Queen of golf. Its always your call I watch every tournament that you play in and always will God bless you and your family be safe always. AL NOVA SCOTIA
All the best in 2021 Brooke.
Excellent story. Go Brooke! We are all excited to see her return to golf. Also very pleased to see Alena active in the LPGA exec as a player rep. Great news.
Continue making us proud as Canadians.
Best wishes for a successful 2021 and beyond.
Terry Gates
Blue Mountains, ON.
So proud of you Brooke. In addition to being an excellent golfer you set a high standard for golf in general and you set a high standard for all Canadians. So much appreciate you and wish you every success possible in 2021 and beyond.