It’s hard to believe that it has already been four years since Golf Town athlete Brooke Henderson made history at the CP Women’s Open at Wascana Country Club in Regina. It was there, that Brooke became the first Canadian to win our national title in 45 years.

On an unseasonably cold Sunday last August, Brooke Henderson stood on the 18th green of Wascana Country Club trying to hold back tears while attempting to process what had just happened.

The then 20-year-old Golf Town athlete had shot a 7-under-par 65 in the final round of the CP Women’s Open to win by four shots, becoming the first Canadian female to take the title since Jocelyne Bourassa in 1973.

The crowd at the CP Women’s Open that Sunday were fired up – despite the brisk wind and intermittent rain falling – and gathered around the first tee in a sea of both Brooke Brigade red and Roughrider green. The day before, Saskatchewan held off the charging BC Lions in for a thrilling late-season CFL win, and there was a buzz in the air.

The crowd didn’t know it yet, but history was about to be made.

After losing both her grandfathers earlier that summer, Henderson came to Regina as both the sentimental and odds-on favourite at the CP Women’s Open.

The course fit her game, and thousands of anxious spectators—the Brooke Brigade— followed along with her every shot, making it feel like a major championship. And even while rain fell steadily on Sunday, Henderson had a steely calm about her that never wavered, at least not until she raised her arms in triumph on the 18th green.

If there had been any doubt about Brooke Henderson’s place in Canadian golf history, it was vaporized with one pop of champagne from her father, Dave. He was first on the green to celebrate with Brooke’s mother Darlene not far behind. Sister Brittany was in lockstep all day as her caddie. Then came Lorie Kane and Gail Graham – Canadian golf legends, both – followed by current Canadian LPGA Tour member Alena Sharp.

Henderson, who usually keeps her emotions contained, let her guard down and cried as she was mobbed by those closest to her, but she certainly wasn’t the only one who was extra emotional that day.

She put on a Mountie hat and waved to the crowd. Golf Town had handed out red “Brooke’s Brigade” t-shirts and PING visors like Henderson wears to young patrons all week and the youngsters wore them with pride that Sunday. They were part of Team Henderson.

Henderson played flawless golf on the day it mattered the most, on the stage that mattered most to her.

It was a historical, exciting, emotional, rain-soaked Sunday – that ended with chocolate cake – when Brooke Henderson won the CP Women’s Open.

This is that story – told from the perspective of those closest to Henderson.

The tee-times for the final round of the CP Women’s Open on August 26, 2018 had been moved up to accommodate the inclement weather that was to hit Regina later that day. Tournament organizers were scrambling as TSN had partnered with Golf Channel to show the final round live. Fans came out in droves, despite the weather. Brooke Henderson arrived wearing a short-sleeve shirt despite single-digit temperatures, and you knew it was game on.  

Dave Wilson (General Manager, PING Canada): First thing in the morning I had breakfast with Team ‘H’ like we had the last couple days, and I remember thinking to myself that it could be a monumental and historic day.

Brittany Henderson (Brooke’s sister and caddie): Brooke and I aren’t typically morning people, so we don’t talk that much usually (laughs). It probably really did help to have Dave Wilson there and talk about something different, to get your mind off of things.

Brooke Henderson: I always like to go through what I’m trying to do, especially when my Dad is there with us, just to talk through some of the holes. I like to talk it through with him and finalize the game plan that we have. But after that’s done we take a break and talk about random things, and that morning, it happened to be salmon!

Dave Henderson (Brooke’s father): People asked if I was nervous, and you’re just not. You’re in the moment. In the moment, golf is slow moving, but on the other hand it’s very fast moving. You have to anticipate and go. I never had the opportunity to be anxious or nervous.

Weather was expected to be an issue. Tee times were pushed up to try to get the round in before the weather hit, and the day was unseasonably cool.

Brooke: I usually play pretty well in those types of conditions. Winning in New Zealand and winning in Hawaii – Hawaii wasn’t cold but it was really windy – I felt like that gave me some extra confidence that morning. 

Brittany: Honestly, we were sort of excited for it. We were at the Canadian Open… we’re Canadian! It’s a little bit colder, but it played a little into our wheelhouse. If anyone can handle what this weather was going to be that day – cold and rainy and windy – we could do it.

Henderson made a birdie to start her final round, but bogeyed the second hole. She would shoot a 2-under-par 33 on the front nine before making the turn and kicking it into high gear.

Wilson: Ninety-seven percent of the people there were trying to will every shot to the right place for Brooke. That started early in the week, but particularly that (Sunday) morning.

Dave: She had her ‘A’ game (that week), and she just needed a few breaks. Up front you don’t see that, but you hope for it.

Laurence Applebaum (CEO of Golf Canada): Usually when you see Brooke stroll up she’s smiling, she’s nodding, she’s engaged, and she’s friendly and welcoming. And when she came up on No. 10 she was just… eyes down, brim of the visor a little tighter and she was engaged only with what was right in front of her. I’ve seen Brooke really focused in a number of scenarios but she was dialed in.

Henderson made birdies on No’s 12-15, but Angel Yin, who played in the group with Henderson that day, made a birdie on No. 11 and matched Henderson with birdies on No’s 13-15. It was still close heading into the final few holes, and the Brooke Brigade offered their full support. 

Dave: She wasn’t going to let it slip, in all her power. 

Brooke: (Angel) was making birdies, I was making birdies … the advantages on par-fives and shorter par-fours weren’t really there for me, so it made it fun that way–but I’m just glad I came out on top.

Brittany: Angel was a good person to play with, because she kept pushing us forward with the really good birdie run on the back, and also she’s just… fun. She was just out there trying to make birdies and having a good time. We adopted a similar attitude and that helped. 

Applebaum: It was probably on 13 or 14 and I was jumping forward with Dave (Henderson) and I said something to Keith (Creel, the CEO of Canadian Pacific) like, “It’s going to be a great trophy presentation.” And he said, “You better believe it.”

Angel Yin (LPGA Tour player): I felt like everyone around the town just came to watch. In women’s golf, you don’t really see that. I think there were more spectators than the U.S. Women’s Open.

Dave: I was invited into the CP tent and I said to them, “Is Brooke going to win?” And they said, “Yeah! She’s got the lead.” And I said, “Are you sure? Is there an official who has a penalty that they want to talk about after their round? Is there anything being talked about on TV? Are you sure?” I didn’t want to get a bottle of champagne and spray it and be embarrassed (laughs). They said no, so it was all clean and clear.

Henderson came down the 18th fairway with a three-shot lead, and it was a foregone conclusion she would win. Dave Henderson procured that champagne, Brooke knocked her approach to within a few feet, and history was made. 

Tournament organizers pulled the ropes up close to the 18th green, so fans could fall in behind Henderson on the fairway as she walked. The crowd of eager supports was loud but respectful, and was about to be rewarded for following her all day in the cool weather. 

Brooke: At that point, I’m nervous. I’m shaking a little. I just had to refocus again and try to get it as close to the pin as possible, and I was able to do that. Once I did that I took a deep breath and Brit and I knew we had done it at that point.

But the competitiveness in me… I really wanted to make that birdie putt (laughs).

Ryan Paul (CP Women’s Open Tournament Director): Then it’s chaos, because everyone wanted to see Brooke and see history.

Yin: It was a very proud moment for women’s golf. I thought it was pretty cool.

Henderson’s emotion finally took control after her win. She broke down multiple times during the post-round celebration on the 72nd green while she received multiple ovations and ‘Oh Canada’ was sung. But, she was quick to flash her trademark smile once again.

Brooke: I went to a back room to do an interview and the trophy was right beside me, and it was kind of quiet for the first time. It was nice to know I could reach over and pick it up and I wasn’t jinxing myself. I had earned it. That was the best feeling.

Dave: Like the rest of the country, Darlene and I were extremely excited and extremely proud.

There was a buzz of excitement – just electrifying – that will be hard to repeat. But it was fun to do.

Paul: In the champions’ reception, we usually have a player that comes in, waves, says thanks to the key partners and takes a few pictures. She stayed… it must have been two hours. And that’s an hour and 55 minutes longer than anyone else.

After the win, Brooke and Brittany headed to Calgary for a corporate outing on Monday morning. But first, the sisters had their own private celebration—ordering dessert to their hotel room.  

Brooke: Later that night when we finally did get to Calgary, Brit and I had chocolate cake in our hotel room.

Brittany: That’s like the dream way to finish on Sunday, with room service chocolate cake, haha!

Brooke: I said to her, “After I’ve won this, I feel like I can do anything.” It sounds so silly but I felt like so much pressure was off me. I felt like if I can perform as well as I did on that Sunday, good things might happen in the future.

It was the highlight of Brooke’s year—one of many. The LPGA Tour season came to a close in November and Henderson notched two more top-10s, finishing second on the season-long Race to CME Globe. Her victory in Regina was named one of the top moments of the year by the LPGA Tour.

This week, Canada will be watching as she looks to defend her title at the Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont. She’s already won twice in 2019, brining her career win total to nine – making her the winningest Canadian on the PGA Tour or LPGA Tour.

Canada and the #BrookeBrigade will be watching and cheering her on!