Henderson looking for another breakthrough at Swinging Skirts

Bob Weeks

TSN Senior Reporter

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Brooke Henderson is returning to the scene of what she calls her “breakthrough moment.” This week, she is at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in San Francisco, Calif., where a year ago, she ended up third.

Last year, the now-18-year-old held the 54-hole lead and eventually missed joining Lydia Ko and Morgan Pressel in a playoff by a single shot, which Ko eventually won.

Henderson was ranked 207th in the Rolex Rankings at the start of that week; she’s now 200 spots better and a legitimate contender to win this week.

There are lots of differences between the golfer who teed off in this event last year and the one who will step to the tee on Thursday at the 6,507-yard Lake Merced GC. One of the most significant is that she’s starting to play on courses she’s seen before. That gives her a comfort level and some experience in knowing where to go and how to play the course.

“It helps a lot,” said Henderson in a phone interview from San Francisco. “I know where the pins are going to be and I can practice shots to those areas. I also know where to miss and where not to. And I have a game plan based on what I did last year.”

The Smiths Falls, Ont., product is on a run of great finishes, logging seven consecutive top-10s in LPGA events. If you count her tie for eighth at the Australian Masters, a Ladies European Tour tournament, her streak is at eight.

Throughout this great run, however, she hasn’t had that many legitimate opportunities to win. Her best came at the Coates Golf Championship, where she had a share of the lead late on Sunday.

That’s not meant to be a knock; rather it proves that she’s able to stay with the top golfers on the tour, even when her game isn’t at its best.

“I’m definitely looking for a win,” Henderson said. “If I keep doing what I’m doing, I feel like I’ll have opportunities.”

Henderson’s tremendous play over the past year has made her star rise not just with fans, but also corporate sponsors who see the talent coupled with the personality. She has deals with Ping, RBC and BMW, and this week became a member of the BioSteel team, joining other young Canadian phenoms Connor McDavid and Andrew Wiggins.

“I think it’s super cool,” Henderson said of the signing. “I’m really proud to be a team member.”

Now Henderson is not necessarily a gym rat such as Lexi Thompson, who regularly posts pictures of her training sessions on social media, although that may change.

“I don’t work out as much as I should, but I’ll be changing that,” she admitted. “I know that I need to for distance and strength.”

She said that the Canadian-developed BioSteel products will be with her on the course to help keep her energized during long rounds and provide mental focus.

Henderson added that she hasn’t met any of the other athletes on the BioSteel team but was looking forward to seeing McDavid. An avid hockey fan, she admitted to being disappointed that her beloved Ottawa Senators failed to make the playoffs.

“I haven’t watched any hockey for a while,” she said, but added she likely will as the race for the Stanley Cup narrows.

The new sponsorship is a good indicator of how notable and recognizable Henderson has become. In just one year, she’s gone from a young golfer with promise to one of the world’s best, known across the country. On the golf course, she’s a huge hit with Canadians as well as golf fans around the world.

“They’re everywhere,” Henderson said of Canadian fans. “Every stop we go to there’s always a Canadian flag in the gallery. But they’re from everywhere now, not just Canada.”

So aside from her talent, is there another reason to explain her popularity?

“I’d like to think that I’m pretty nice,” she said shyly after being pressed a few times for an answer. “I think having my sister (Brittany) on the bag helps too. That’s a unique story.”

Henderson’s story is just in the early chapters. She could add an interesting page or two this week at the Swinging Skirts, where she feels her game is in the best shape it’s been in for a few weeks. She’ll continue with her aggressive style of play, hitting driver off most tees, and hope that come Sunday, she’ll not only add to her string of top-10s, but perhaps walk away with a trophy.