Brooke Henderson Repeats At Women’s PGA Championship

The tussle was a tense one but seventeen year-old Brooke Henderson was able to overcome two other contenders on Wednesday to win the 2015 PGA of Canada PGA Women’s Championship.

Defending the title she won as an amateur in 2014, the 31st ranked female golfer in the world made up a three stroke overnight deficit by closing with a 67 (-3) to win her fourth title since turning professional in December.  Overall it is her seventh win at a professional event, dating back to her first on the Canadian Women’s Tour when she was just 14.

The Symetra Tour member from Smiths Falls, Ontario tallied rounds of 65 and 67 (-8) over the scenic Burlington Golf & Country Club course on her way to the title.

“Last year when I won it was really special because I was still an amateur, but this year I wanted to win again and host the trophy as a professional,” Henderson said.

She spent much of the final round exchanging the lead with Doris Chen of Florida and amateur Elizabeth Tong of Thornhill, Ontario. Tong scorched the course with a 62 in round one but ultimately could not hang on for the win as she posted a final round of 72, two over par.  She was one stroke back of Henderson until an untimely three-putt on the 71st hole.  It was there too that Chen’s chances of a win were thwarted by a double bogey. With scores of (66-68) she had to settle for sharing second with Tong (62-72), who was the low amateur. The both finished at six under par total, two back of Brooke.

“The front nine was really good because I was making a bunch of birdies,” Brooke shared about her opening nine in the final round that closed the gap with Tong. “But then on the 13th Elizabeth made birdie and I made bogey, so I was saying to myself ‘uh oh, now it’s really time to get going.’”

For the victory Henderson earned $10,000.

She’ll have little time to enjoy it, she is off immediately to Albany, New York to play in the Symetra Tour’s Fuccillo Kia Championship at Capital Hills.  Play begins for that 54-hole tournament on Friday.  From there Brooke is off to the west coast of Scotland for the Ricoh British Women’s Open as she continues her pursuit of LPGA TOUR status for 2016.

For her play on the Canadian Women’s Tour this season (a 2nd place and a win in the two event she played) Brooke earned the Jocelyne Bourassa Player of The Year Award.

Brittany Henderson of Smiths Falls earned a share of 18th place with scores of 72 and 71.  Alison Timlin of Ottawa shot 74, 81 for a 70th place tie.