16 of ’16: Brooke Henderson shines in first full LPGA year
With the year coming to a close, Olympic.ca will look back at 16 of the most memorable Team Canada stories of 2016. As a new “16 of ‘16” story is revealed daily, you can find the entire series here.
To say that Brooke Henderson had a good year would be an understatement.
In 2016, the Canadian golfer made the most of her first full season on the LPGA tour, climbing as high as second place at one point in the world rankings.
“This year gave me a lot of experiences that added a lot of value to who I am as a person, and what I am on the LPGA Tour,” shared the Smiths Falls, Ont. native in a recent Golf Canada interview.
READ: Henderson wins her first LPGA major in playoff victory over Ko
After being prompted by organizers, Brooke Henderson, of Canada, plants a kiss on the championship trophy after winning the Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament at Sahalee Country Club on Sunday, June 12, 2016, in Sammamish, Washington. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Elaine Thompson
One of those experiences included winning the Women’s PGA Championship last June, making her the second youngest winner of a major in the history of the tour. The exploit also allowed Henderson to become the second Canadian woman ever to take top honours of a major championship after Sandra Post first achieved the feat back in 1968.
The 19-year-old phenom picked up her second win of the season a month later when she successfully defended her Cambia Portland Classic title.
“When something really exciting happens – like having my major win or my other win this year – you really have to embrace them and celebrate because they’re hard to come by,” said Henderson about her early success.
READ: Henderson wins third career LPGA title in Portland repeat
Canada’s Brooke Henderson tries to coax her putt into the cup during second round action at the LPGA Canadian Open tournament in Priddis, Alta., Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
The excitement continued last August as Henderson made her Olympic debut for Canada at the Rio 2016 Games. She finished only two shots out of a podium spot in golf’s return to the Olympics.
After a phenomenal rookie year that included 15 top-10 finished in 31 LPGA events, Henderson is already back at work looking to claim the number one spot in 2017.
“I definitely would like to get stronger and hit the ball a little farther and work on my consistency overall,” she said of her off-season plans. “I think that’s the big one. And short game. That’s always been something I’ve worked on especially the last few years.”
“I know there’s a lot of hard work ahead of me. I’ll set smaller goals on my way to that, but I think that’s ultimately the end goal for any person playing on the LPGA Tour.”
