Columnist image

TSN Senior Reporter

| Archive

Brooke Henderson played a different golf course in the second round of the U.S. Women’s Open. It wasn’t a different location, just that conditions changed drastically at the Trump National course at Beminster, N.J., going from hard and fast to wet and slow.

A steady rain that rolled in late Thursday and was still around early on Friday made the layout soggy, which changed Henderson’s game plan.

“I feel like we, my sister and I, we adjusted really well to that,” she told reporters after her round. “We attacked maybe a little bit more. We weren't as afraid of those run-off areas as I was previous just because I knew it was holding a little bit better.”

The one-under 71 left her at three-under par for the first 36 holes, currently five back of the lead set by Shanshan Feng. While not disappointed by her position, Henderson seemed to indicate that there is room for improvement. She only hit eight greens on the day, half the number she reached in the opening round.

“I feel like I could have maybe got a little bit more out of today's round than I did,” stated Henderson. “Hopefully I can make that up quickly over the next two days and put myself in contention on Sunday.”

In addition to a difficult course and the wet conditions, Henderson was faced with another distraction when president Donald Trump arrived in a private box on the 15th hole as her group rolled through.

“It's really amazing that the president of the United States is here to watch us play golf and on a tremendous golf course,” said Henderson. “I'm really excited and it was a great opportunity.”

Meanwhile Alena Sharp wasn’t able to survive the 36-hole cut, after a second-round 72 left her at four-over par for the tournament.

And Maddie Szeryk, an amateur from London, Ont., who resides in Texas, also finished outside the cut line in her first U.S. Open appearance.