This off-season will be unlike any other for Brooke M. Henderson, who will spend the next month and a half preparing for her first full season as a member of the LPGA Tour.
“You know it’s pretty cool,” Henderson told LPGA.com. “I want to make sure I have status for the next couple years so I know I need some good finishes.”
Henderson burst onto the scene early in 2015. As a non-member, she relied on sponsor invites and Monday Qualifying to earn her way into the field. In April, she finished third to Lydia Ko and Morgan Pressel at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic, followed by a tie for fifth at both the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and U.S. Women’s Open. She Monday qualified in Oregon where she won the Cambia Portland Classic for her maiden victory, becoming the first Canadian to win since Lorie Kane in 2001 and just the third player under the age of 18 to win on the LPGA Tour.
Following her win, she successfully petitioned commissioner Michael Whan for membership since she was just 17-years-old at the time of her win in August. Electing to begin membership immediately, Henderson made four more starts on Tour, capping off her rookie season at the CME Group Tour Championship with a final round 66 to finish 13th for the week.
A fixture on her bag throughout much of the season was her sister, Brittany, who splits her time on the Epson Tour with looping for Brooke, an arrangement that’s likely to continue in 2016.
“She’s still trying to feel it out a little bit, she’s got full Epson Tour status and she loves to be on my bag and I love to have her here. So I think you’ll see her out a little bit more,” Brooke said.
The duo plans to head home to Canada for a month before returning to Daytona Beach in January, their home away from home, where they spend much of their time preparing for the season.
“We’ve been there, it’s our third year, we stay at a course Indigo Lakes. They treat us super well. Awesome people there and it’s very nice to have an atmosphere like that to train in,” Henderson said. “My short game is something I really need to work on a little bit and just make sure that my ball striking stays as consistent as it is right now.”
In her 14 starts in 2015, Henderson ranked 41st in putting average with 30.46 putts per round, by far the weakest area of her game, which is offset by her top-25 status in greens and fairways hit as well as driving. With some time on the practice green, Henderson is sure to dominate in the year ahead.
“I have big dreams, big goals ahead of me and I’m chasing after those and hopefully I’ll have a long career out here on the LPGA.”
The chase continues in 2016.
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