In the rough-and-tumble world that involves battling female South Korean players on the golf course, we have a rising star.
Brooke Henderson’s star has been rising on the LPGA Tour for a couple of years now. She won her first major (Women’s PGA) at age 18.
Today, at the tender age of 20, Brooke is a win away from tying Sandra Post as Canada’s most decorated female golfer. In the poll of popularity and superstardom, Brooke has blown past Post and maybe, just maybe past a lot of Canadian sports stars.
What she accomplished in Saskatchewan last week was beyond impressive. She came into the women’s version of the Canadian Open with the weight and expectations of a nation on her young shoulders. Fans showed up by the busload. Talk about pressure? Try winning when virtually everyone on the grounds wants and expects you to do just that. On the men’s side of the equation, Canada’s finest seem to find their choking point at the Canadian Open.
Which brings us back to an incredibly impressive win last week. All Brooke did was shoot 21-under par, four better than America’s rising star — Angel Yin.
Talk about excitement — they’re still buzzing north of the border.
Brooke has rising to No. 8 in the Rolex Rankings.
The face of American golf is going in the opposite direction.
Lexi Thompson has fallen from No. 2 to No. 5 and she’s doing nothing to prevent a fall farther down the ranks. While Brooke excelled, Lexi shot a troublesome 72-78 and didn’t come close to making the 36-hole cut. Questions surround her, biggest question is her current desire to play.
Henderson appears to be the polar opposite. She’s excited and getting better each year. She’s also three years younger than Lexi.
The women tee it up again this week in Portland then in two weeks they travel to France for the season’s final major — The Evian.
It’s sorta been business as usual out there on the LPGA. Asian domination.
Henderson’s trying her best to break up their show. Georgia Hall helped out with her win at The British.
In the meantime, Lexi’s seemingly just not into it these days.
And that’s a shame.
