Canada's Brooke Henderson wins ShopRite LPGA Classic, her 11th career pro title
While Lindsey Weaver-Wright finished her round at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, Canada's Brooke Henderson got ready.
Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., held a one-shot lead over the American, but with No. 18 a par-5, the Canadian knew that a playoff was a distinct possibility. Sure enough, Weaver-Wright birdied the hole and forced an extra hole of golf at the LPGA event.
Henderson had made the most of her time waiting for Weaver-Wright and gotten prepared.
"It was a bit of a long wait, which makes it tricky," said Henderson. "I just tried to eat a lot to get the energy up, and then I just went to the locker room and just reflected a little bit.
"I was just grateful for the opportunity to go out there."
Henderson's preparation paid off in an eagle on the playoff hole -- again on the par-5 No. 18 at Seaview Bay Course in Galloway, N.J. -- to win her 11th title on the LPGA Tour. She was already the winningest professional golfer in Canadian history, but her latest victory added to her ongoing legacy.
She started Sunday in ninth, well back of Sweden's Frida Kinhult, the tournament's leader after two rounds. But Kinhult faltered on Sunday with a 4-over round as Henderson came out firing with three birdies and an eagle on the front nine to close the gap, peppering in two more birdies on the back nine for a bogey-free 7-under round.
"To start the day if they would've said 'you're in a playoff to win' I would've been super happy," said Henderson. "I just tried to take that mindset. With playoffs you really only have one opportunity, so you kind of have to give it your all and go to win.
"I just tried to hit solid shots and I was able to make eagle there, which is really cool."
Weaver-Wright, who finished her round after Henderson, birdied her final two holes to tie the Canadian at 12-under overall and force the playoff.
North of the border, word started to spread of Henderson's win at the PGA Tour's RBC Canadian Open at St. George's Golf and Country Club in Toronto.
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., was the low Canadian at the national men's golf championship, was thrilled when he heard the news.
"I'm blown away. She's incredibly talented. From all Canadians, congrats Brooke, that's really special," said Conners, who was Henderson's teammate on the Canadian Olympic team at the 2021 Tokyo Games. "Eleven wins on the LPGA Tour is so amazing and I'm sure she's far from done with that.
"She's an incredible young lady and obviously an incredible player. So congrats, well done and enjoy a nice celebration."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.