21-Year-Old Canadian Superstar Taking Golf World By Storm

The Brooke Henderson Story

The name ‘Henderson’ was etched into the Canadian history books with indelible ink back in 1972, and has held that place for the better part of 50 years. Whether it was Foster Hewitt’s exceptionally familiar, “He scores! Henderson has scored for Canada!” television play-by-play call, or Bob Cole’s “He scores! Henderson!” CBC radio call of Paul Henderson’s 1972 Summit Series winning goal, Paul Henderson has always been Canada’s Henderson hero.

STEP ASIDE PAUL, there’s a new cat on the block. Enter 5-foot-6, 150-pound, 21-year-old, Smiths Falls, Ontario native Brooke Henderson.

With 33 career top 10 finishes, seven Ladies Professional Golf Association victories and over $4.6 million in career earnings to her name, Henderson has created quite the name for herself. 29-year-old Hawaiian Michelle Wie has long been the face of women’s professional golf. But her five LPGA professional wins and one major championship over 13 seasons of professional golf fall ever so short of Henderson’s accomplishments in just four seasons as a pro.

After five major amateur victories within Ontario and Quebec, Henderson turned pro, picking up one of her greatest wins at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in 2016, as well as two victories at the Cambia Portland Classic in 2015 and 2016, before taking the Meijer LPGA Classic, the McKayson New Zealand Women’s Open and the Lotte Championship in 2017 and 2018.

Henderson put an exclamation point on her career achievements in late August of 2018 when she became the very first Canadian since Jocelyne Bourassa in 1973 (45 years ago) to win the Canadian Women’s Open at home in Regina, SK. Currently ranked as the eighth best female golfer in the world, Henderson has already been named the Ontario Athlete of the Year (2015), the Canadian Press Female Athlete of the Year (2015, 2017) and the Ottawa Person of the Year (2017).

Although listed as the second youngest player to ever win a major championship in LPGA history (KPMG 2016), surprisingly golf wasn’t Henderson’s only sport as a child. Beginning as a figure skater, the “always active” then eight-year-old transitioned to hockey to become a goaltender. Hockey had always been in Henderson’s blood, as her father Dave had spent time in the Ontario Hockey League and with the University of Toronto, also as a netminder.

“I loved hockey right away,” Henderson said in an interview with Hockey Canada. “We had a lot of victories and some losses, but we took it together as a team. It really taught me a lot in many other sports. Being a goalie there’s a lot of pressure, and I was able to handle that pretty well. Now playing golf for a living, having that pressure as a goalie has really prepared me for every single week out on tour.”

One way that Henderson has been able to handle that pressure is a steady reliance on her family — who travel to nearly every tournament with her — and her faith in God.

“My sister Brittany is my caddy and my dad’s my coach,” she said. “I have a ton of other people working with me so that I can have success out on tour. Having my Mom, dad and sister travel with me and be a part of this amazing career and lifestyle that I have is amazing; I wouldn’t be able to do it without all three of them.”

Following the final hole of any major championship, the countless media cameras, spectators and television viewers tend to focus their gaze on the champion him/herself and the physical trophy/hardware to be presented to the victor. However, it’s in these moments in which Henderson’s true colours arise. Before posing for victory pictures, Henderson always ensures her parents and sister make it into the celebration. During that waiting process, Henderson is often seen taking time to rearrange her ever-present cross necklace before the victory photoshoots.

A quick look at Henderson’s Twitter page would provide answers to fans’ questions on her faith and religious ties, as both a heart and a cross emoji are predominantly present in the first line of her Twitter biography. If that’s not enough, a deeper look at some of the charities and organizations that Henderson supports may also provide a better overall feel of the young golfer’s mentality and mindset.

A quick look at Henderson’s Twitter page would provide answers to fans’ questions on her faith and religious ties, as both a heart and a cross emoji are predominantly present in the first line of her Twitter biography. If that’s not enough, a deeper look at some of the charities and organizations that Henderson supports may also provide a better overall feel of the young golfer’s mentality and mindset.

Henderson was the feature athlete at the first Annual World Vision Golf Tournament in Markham, ON in2017. The tournament was held by the WorldVision Multicultural Ambassadors as a way to engage with the many cultures within Canada and help support the various ethical and faith groups, while observing a weekend of golf. Henderson also helped contribute to the$2 million raised for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario at the CP Women’s Open in Ottawa in 2017 by way of a charity golf tournament.

Just as the majority of NorthAmerican twenty-somethings dowhen greeted with a rush of emotion,Henderson is not one to shy away fromposting meaningful lines, passages,quotes or dialogue on Twitter orInstagram. Whether it’s a photo ofthe 21-year-old greeting a youngchild on her walk between holes, orjust a simple post-victory celebratorybiblical passage, Brooke Hendersoncertainly has a way of spreading herinfectious personality and Christianmessage to her followers through herGod-given talents. And she is onlyjust beginning.

/ CARTER BROOKS is a news writer and sports columnist situated in Winnipeg, Manitoba. On top of reading and writing, coaching hockey is his favourite pastime.