LPGA: Brooke Henderson takes top spot at Wilshire
WILSHIRE COUNTRY CLUB was host to the Ladies Professional Golf Association, without spectators, last month. Shown (arrow) lining up a putt on the semi-final Friday is Jessica Korda (ultimately the second-place finisher), who was playing with Jin Young Ko (third-place winner, in a tie) and Sei Young Kim.
The Wilshire Country Club opened its gates to 144 of the best players in women’s professional golf at the third annual “Hugel-Air Premia LA Open,” April 19 to 24.
But the gates to this year’s event were not open to the general public due to pandemic-related restrictions. Last year’s event was cancelled for the same reason.
Eager to return to Wilshire, 2019’s winner Minjee Lee from Australia told reporters at an April 20 press conference that it was nice to be back: “When I parked the car and walked down the stairs yesterday, all of these memories came back,” Lee said. “I really like this golf course, the layout. It’s kind of tricky and unique. I do really like coming back here, and I’m glad we got to come back here this year.”
Even with that excitement, Lee was unable to take the top spot this year, which went to seven-year LPGA Tour veteran Brooke Henderson, who captured her 10th win at Wilshire Country Club, ending two years of not seeing a victory.
Henderson finished with a 16-under score of 268 to break the event record of 14-under set by Minjee Lee in 2019.
“Unreal. It’s pretty crazy,” said Henderson of her 10th victory. “To get my ninth win was such a big deal in Canada, and then, since then, I have been just trying to chase that 10th one. To get it here, it’s just — I’m just so happy and it’s hard to believe.”
The 23-year-old Canadian golfer took home the $225,000 winner’s share of the tournament’s $1.5 million purse.
“I feel like I have been playing solid golf and just haven’t had the victory in what feels like a really long time now,” said Henderson.
“Just to get it across the line and to have the work that Brit [sister and caddie] and I have been putting in pay off and be able to celebrate together and get the 10th win on the LPGA Tour is really incredible.”
Henderson is the winningest Canadian golfer in the history of the LPGA and PGA tours.
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