Both 72-hole tournaments will feature fields of 144 players and purses of $1.5 million.
For the first time in tour history, Los Angeles will host back-to-back events on the LPGA. To make it easy to follow, fans will be able to purchase an “LA LPGA Dual Ticket,” a weekly grounds pass for both events. The JTBC LA Open kicks off the fortnight, returning for a fourth year to Wilshire Country Club April 21-24. This marks the first time fans will be on property since 2019.
The new JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes takes place the following week, April 28-May 1, at a course that will be extremely familiar to many on tour. Palos Verdes has hosted the Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge collegiate event for the past 25 years, and past individual winners include Lorena Ochoa, Carlota Ciganda, Natalie Gulbis, Brittany Lang, Bronte Law, Andrea Lee, Leona Maguire, and Annie Park. This will be the first professional event ever staged at the club.
Both 72-hole tournaments will feature fields of 144 players and purses of $1.5 million.
Brooke Henderson hits off the second tee during the final round of the HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open at Wilshire Country Club on April 24, 2021, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Brooke Henderson notched her 10th victory on tour at last year’s JTBC LA Open without fans. The 2020 event was canceled due to the pandemic.
Both tournaments will give complimentary tickets to all service personnel, including military (active, retired, reserve, and veteran), fire, police, and EMS and their immediate family (up to four tickets). Kids under 17 will be admitted free with a paid adult.
Lexi Thompson was keeping Leona Maguire in her sights as she moved up the leaderboard at the LPGA Drive On Championship on Friday.
But Thompson’s putter came to the forefront yet again – and not in a good way. She missed a par putt from a couple feet on No. 16, then parred the last two holes to finish at 8 under, and is five behind Maguire.
Maguire birdied Nos. 13 and 18, while Thompson played the final six holes 1-over after making four straight birdies.
“It was overall a very solid day,” Thompson said. “Hit it well. Made some good putts, especially the beginning of the back nine. Hung in strong, so hopefully take that into (Saturday).”
Lexi Thompson plays in the second round of the 2022 LPGA Drive On Championship at Crown Colony in Fort Myers on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022.
Thompson, 26, has not won since 2019, but tied for second and placed eighth in the last two events of 2021, and tied for sixth last week.
“I’m quite a few back, but just go out there, play like I have the last two days, stick to my game plan, focus on one shot at a time, doing my routine, and just having a good time out there,” she said. “I feel like I’ve had a good attitude this week and just have a good time and go for those birdies.”
Local instructor on LPGA livestream
Fans who caught the three-hour coverage on LPGA.com Friday may have seen West Bay Club director of instruction Katie Detlefsen Dahl, who did a couple of spots with on-course reporter Jerry Foltz.
She did one on preparation for a round on the driving range, and then another on chipping and pitching and dealing with grain, some of the types of lies players have been facing this week at Crown Colony.
Detlefsen Dahl’s appearance stemmed from Brian Carroll, the LPGA’s senior vice president of global media distribution, reaching out to her.
“I love talking about golf,” said Detlefsen Dahl, who moved from Raptor Bay to West Bay last year, and has a 4-month-old daughter. “I have some experience under my belt with doing some of the TV stuff. I’ve done some tips for the Golf Channel.
“They figured I’m close. It’s not my first time in front of the camera. It’s just kind of a fun opportunity to share some insights.”
Detlefsen Dahl said she grew up playing junior golf with some of the players in the field, including co-leader Marina Alex, Amy Olson, and Maude-Aimee Leblanc among others.
“I just have so much respect for the LPGA Tour,” she said. “They’re just such great players. It’s always humbling. The depth of the talent has only gotten better and better.”
Leona Maguire plays in the second round of the 2022 LPGA Drive On Championship at Crown Colony in Fort Myers on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022. She is tied for the lead at -13 under.
“Seamus is probably the most in-form golfer apart from Viktor Hovland on the planet right now,” Maguire said. “It’s incredible to see him doing so well.
“We’ve kind of been going back and forth a little bit last year. He was doing well when I was doing well. He got his first win out there, which was huge for him. I mean, the more Irish people that are doing well the better. It’s great to see him doing well, and hopefully I can sort of keep up with him.”
Power was happy to see Maguire sharing the lead going into the final round.
“I think it’s fantastic,” he said. “She had a great year last year, like an incredible performance in Solheim Cup. And she’s been fun to follow. I met Leona really for the first time properly in the Olympics 2016 and it’s been like fantastic following her progress.
“She came out last year and she’s up in contention and she almost won, it’s not going to surprise me if she wins this week. It’s great, it’s great for Irish golf, it’s great for Irish women’s golf and hopefully she can keep it up.”
Brooke Henderson of Canada hits from the 9th t during the first round of the LPGA Drive On Championship at Crown Colony Golf & Country Club on February 03, 2022, in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Brooke Henderson rallies up leaderboard
The Miromar Lakes resident continued to come back from an opening-hole double-bogey in Thursday’s first round.
She shot a 5-under 67 on Friday and moved up from 51st to a tie for 16th.
“On my 18th hole I made a birdie on the par-5 so I was like, ‘OK, that’s good vibes,'” she said. “Then I made three in a row I guess 3, 4, 5, and then finished with two on 8 and 9, so it was definitely a great way to finish. Finally felt like I figured out this golf course a little bit.”
Naples resident Sophia Popov won’t be joining Henderson in the final round. She shot her second straight 2-over 74 and missed the cut to the low 70 and ties by five strokes.
Henderson would be happy for a tournament to return to the area, though, and be open to fans. The Drive On was a late addition to the tournament schedule, so there were no fans, pro-ams, or full TV coverage.
“I think it would be really cool if we came back another year and were able to have fans from the outside,” she said. “That would be really cool. I think we would get huge crowds just because the community support has been fantastic right here itself.
“Then I’m sure we would get a lot of fans from the outside, too.”
Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at ghardwig@naplesnews.com. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/
“There is definitely pros and cons to both,” Henderson said.
For the second time in four months, Sophia Popov and Brooke Henderson get to sleep in their own beds and play golf.
Popov, who lives in Naples, and Henderson, who has had a residence in Miromar Lakes since 2017, enjoy not having to think about hotels and transportation for this week’s LPGA Drive On Championship at Crown Colony Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers, which goes through Saturday.
In November, both played in the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples.
“There is definitely pros and cons to both,” Henderson said. “Sometimes when you’re staying at home you think, ‘Oh, it’s just an off week, it’s an off-season’, so you’re not maybe as focused, especially early in the week.”
Every other week on tour, they’re living out of a suitcase and either have a courtesy car or are taking shuttles to the course. All of that is different this week.
“I’m extremely lucky to have the privilege to pursue a passion and a childhood dream and play in this event.”
The field list for the upcoming Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio features a who’s who list of stars including World No. 1 Nelly Korda, Inbee Park, Brooke Henderson, Lydia Ko, Lexi Thompson and 2020 champion Madelene Sagstrom.
But there’s also a name that most golf fans aren’t familiar with, a 32-year-old local teaching pro who beat the men to make history late last year and on Tuesday was named the 2021 PGA of America Women’s PGA Professional Player of the Year.
Madelene Sagstrom during the final round of the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio in Boca Raton, Florida. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Taylor Collins, winner of Golf Channel’s “Big Break Mexico” and longtime pupil of the legendary Bob Toski, will compete in Boca Raton, Florida, later this month on a sponsor exemption.
The Gainbridge LPGA is the first full-field event for the 2022 LPGA season and will feature 120 players competing for a share of a $2 million purse Jan. 24-30 at Boca Rio Golf Club. Last year’s event, won by Nelly Korda, was held at Lake Nona due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Collins played collegiately at Nova Southeastern, winning the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship and helping her team win titles in 2009, 2010, 2011. She turned professional after graduation, but ultimately had to walk away from the game after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
“I was struggling to pretty much walk,” said Collins, who also struggled to grip a club. “I almost bought a cane to start walking with, so I had to take like a year off of golf.”
Medications now help to keep the arthritis in check, though she still deals with flare-ups.
Last September, Collins, a PGA assistant pro at Coral Ridge Country Club in Fort Lauderdale, won the South Florida PGA Section’s signature event – the PGA Professional Championship – by four strokes at 8-under par, becoming the first woman to win in its 42-year history.
Collins said the men she competed alongside and the guys she works with have been supportive, but it wasn’t entirely without controversy given that she played from 81 percent of the distance the men played, as stipulated by tournament rules.
“I do happen to be one of the long hitters out there,” said Collins, “so it could look unfair sometimes with myself hitting the ball, but perhaps not other ladies when they are playing. So it wouldn’t be fair to just judge it off the long-ball hitters.
“And I think something that’s forgotten a lot when you’re playing is I’ll hit my driver, I’ll happen to hit it long and one of the long guys will hit it past me and I might be hitting a pitching wedge and he’s hitting a sand wedge, or I’m hitting an 8-iron and he’s still hitting a pitching wedge. So I understand, I guess, all sides of it. It’s a tricky one, but I’d say it’s fair for the most part if I’m honest.”
Collins said she hits it anywhere from 240 to 270 yards, depending on the day.
Competing in an LPGA event so close to where she lives and works is dream scenario for Collins, who plans to have the junior players she coaches each mark a golf ball that she will play with during the competition. It will be good for her to be reminded of her day job while in the heat of battle, she said, and also fun for the kids to have a souvenir.
“I love the job that I have outside of it,” said Collins, “but I’m extremely lucky to have the privilege to pursue a passion and a childhood dream and play in this event.”
“I started hitting a driver longer than 46 when I was 15 and I’ve never looked back.”
Brooke Henderson will need to make changes to her driver in 2022.
The LPGA has confirmed to Golfweek that it will institute the Model Local Rule, which gives tours the option to limit the maximum length of a driver to 46 inches, beginning the week of March 21 for the JTBC Classic (formerly the Kia Classic). The new local rule was put forth in October by the U.S. Golf Association and R&A.
The 10-time LPGA winner has used a 48-inch driver for her entire career on tour. Known for her aggressive style, power and the way she chokes down on her clubs, Henderson finished ninth on tour in driving distance in 2021.
“I started hitting a driver longer than 46 when I was 15,” she told Golfweek at the Pelican Women’s Championship, “and I’ve never looked back.”
Brooke Henderson hits her tee shot on the 4th hole during the third round of the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club. (Photo: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports)
Henderson had hoped the tour would refrain from implementing the new rule, saying that she believes it takes skill to be able to hit a longer club as well. Her father and instructor Dave noted that longer clubs (and distances off the tee) bring more excitement to the tour.
Henderson had already begun testing a 46-inch driver and “didn’t love it,” losing several yards.
The tour set up a club-testing area at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship to check driver lengths.
An LPGA spokesperson said that seven players, including Henderson, had clubs longer than 46 inches at CME and most were very close to the mark.
The decision to enforce the MLR came from the Executive Leadership Team, Rules Committee, and Player Directors. The same group will also make the call on altering what’s allowed in green-reading books.
With $1.5 million on the line, here are 18 players to watch this week in Naples.
It’s all come down to this. The last tournament of the LPGA tour season is this week at Tiburon Golf Course. The CME Group Tour Championship is loaded with star power, including last week’s winner of the Pelican Women’s Championship and World No. 1, Nelly Korda.
Lexi Thompson, who fell short down the stretch at the Pelican and is surely looking to bounce back, is also in the field.
The winner of the CME Group Tour Championship will be walking away with $1.5 million, the largest prize in the history of women’s golf.
Tiburon will play as a par 72 throughout the week, measuring in at 6,556 yards.
Here are 18 players in the field to keep your eye on.
Jin Young Ko
Jin Young Ko of South Korea tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of the BMW Ladies Championship at LPGA International Busan on October 21, 2021 in Busan, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Age: 26 Home country: South Korea Resides: Seoul, South Korea LPGA Career Victories: 11 Race to CME Globe: 1
Nelly Korda
Nelly Korda poses with the trophy after winning the Pelican Women’s Championship in a playoff at Pelican Golf Club on November 14, 2021 in Belleair, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Age: 23 Home country: U.S. Resides: Bradenton LPGA Career Victories: 7 Race to CME Globe: 2
Lydia Ko
Age: 24 Home country: New Zealand Resides: Orlando LPGA Career Victories: 16 Race to CME Globe: 3
Patty Tavatanakit
Patty Tavatanakit waves after putting out on the 10th green during the second round of the U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament at The Olympic Club. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Age: 22 Home country: Thailand Resides: U.S. LPGA Career Victories: 1 Race to CME Globe: 4
Inbee Park
Inbee Park plays her shot from the second tee during the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament at the Atlanta Athletic Club. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports
Age: 33 Home country: South Korea Resides: Las Vegas LPGA Career Victories: 21 Race to CME Globe: 5
Ariya Jutanugarn
Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand plays her shot from the first tee during day four of the The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 25, 2021 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Age: 25 Home country: Thailand Resides: Bangkok, Thailand LPGA Career Victories: 12 Race to CME Globe: 6
Lexi Thompson
Lexi Thompson and her caddie on the first tee during the first round of the AIG Women’s British Open at Carnoustie Golf Links on August 19, 2021 in Carnoustie, Scotland. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Age: 26 Home country: U.S. Resides: Coral Springs LPGA Career Victories: 11 Race to CME Globe: 7
Brooke Henderson
Brooke Henderson of Canada tees off on the 9th hole during the pro-am prior to the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie Golf Links on August 18, 2021 in Carnoustie, Scotland. Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Age: 24 Home country: Canada Resides: Smiths Falls, Ontario/Miromar Lakes LPGA Career Victories: 10 Race to CME Globe: 8
Minjee Lee
Minjee Lee of Australia waves at the 18th hole during Day Three of the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie Golf Links on August 21, 2021 in Carnoustie, Scotland. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Age: 25 Home country: Australia Resides: Perth, Australia LPGA Career Victories: 6 Race to CME Globe: 9
Nasa Hataoka
Nasa Hataoka hits her tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio on July 09, 2021 in Sylvania, Ohio. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Age: 22 Home country: Japan Resides: Japan LPGA Career Victories: 5 Race to CME Globe: 10
Sei Young Kim
Sei Young Kim tees off at one during the third round of the CME Group Tour Championship, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, at the Tiburon Golf Club in North Naples, Florida.
Age: 28 Home country: South Korea Resides: South Korea LPGA Career Victories: 12 Race to CME Globe: 11
Danielle Kang
Danielle Kang of Team USA reacts during competition rounds of the Solheim Cup golf tournament at Inverness Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
Age: 29 Home country: U.S. Resides: Las Vegas LPGA Career Victories: 5 Race to CME Globe: 12
Jessica Korda
Jessica Korda (USA) tees of on the ninth hole during the first round of the women’s individual stroke play of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Kasumigaseki Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Age: 28 Home country: U.S. Resides: Bradenton LPGA Career Victories: 6 Race to CME Globe: 13
Moriya Jutanugarn
Moriya Jutanugarn tees off at the tenth hole during the first round of the LPGA’s 2021 Hugel-Air Premia LA Open tournament at Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles. (Photo: Ashley Landis/Associated Press)
Age: 27 Home country: Thailand Resides: Thailand LPGA Career Victories: 2 Race to CME Globe: 14
Jeongeun Lee6
Jeongeun Lee6 of Korea lines up a shot during day three of the The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 24, 2021 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Age: 25 Home country: South Korea Resides: South Korea LPGA Career Victories: 1 Race to CME Globe: 15
Yuka Saso
Yuka Saso hoists the US Open trophy after winning in a sudden death playoff following the final round of the U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. Photo by Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Age: 20 Home country: Philippines Resides: Philippines LPGA Career Victories: 1 Race to CME Globe: 16
Leona Maguire
Leona Maguire reads a putt on the third green during round two of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give at Blythefield Country Club on June 17, 2021 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Age: 26 Home country: Ireland Resides: Ireland LPGA Career Victories: 0 Race to CME Globe: 17
Celine Boutier
Celine Boutier (FRA) tees off on the ninth hole during the first round of the women’s individual stroke play of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Kasumigaseki Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Age: 28 Home country: France Resides: France/Dallas LPGA Career Victories: 2 Race to CME Globe: 18
Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at ghardwig@naplesnews.com. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/
“I started hitting a driver longer than 46 when I was 15, and I’ve never looked back.”
BELLEAIR, Fla. – For the first time in nearly two years, Brooke Henderson could look over to the gallery ropes and see her parents, Dave and Darlene, watch her compete in person at the Pelican LPGA Championship. Border restrictions between the U.S. and Canada changed on Monday for those who are vaccinated.
“It’s just kind of a comfort level,” said Brooke of their presence, adding that dad’s confirmation that she has the right line or position boosts her confidence.
With no ShotLink and limited television coverage, Thursday’s opening 3-under 67 marked the first time since January 2020 that Dave could see every shot and every decision his two daughters made during the course of a round.
“I’m good at learning how to score,” said Dave. “They were out of position a couple times today.”
Also in the gallery was Mike Miller, a Rochester, New York, resident who has now traveled to 50 LPGA events to watch Henderson. A longtime LPGA supporter, Miller first watched Henderson compete in 2015, and over time, has gone from superfan to family friend, even attending a hockey game with the family several years back.
Mike Miller has now watched Brooke Henderson compete in 50 events. (Golfweek photo)
One of the most popular players on the LPGA, “Brooke’s Brigade,” as Miller shows, certainly isn’t limited to Canadians. The 10-time LPGA winner is known for her aggressive style and length, making her one of the more entertaining players to follow. One of the ways she gets that extra pop is by choking down on a 48-inch driver.
“I started hitting a driver longer than 46 when I was 15,” she said, “and I’ve never looked back.”
Brooke believes players should have more input in the decision. Dave agrees, saying the longer clubs bring more excitement to the tour.
“I think it takes skill to be able to hit it as well,” said Brooke.
At next week’s CME Group Tour Championship, there will be a club-testing area set up to check driver lengths. The tour will also begin to survey players about the potential changes.
With newly-elected board members in place – Stacy Lewis and Ally Ewing were voted in this week – nothing has been finalized. There was also discussion at the meeting about whether or not the LPGA will follow the PGA Tour’s lead in altering what’s allowed in green-reading books.
The Executive Leadership Team, Rules Committee, and Player Directors will ultimately make the call on both the driver length and green-reading books.
Last month the PGA Tour said in a statement that it planned to implement the Local Rule at the beginning of next year. A survey across the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, and Korn Ferry Tour found that a very small number of players have used or are currently using clubs longer than 46 inches. The new rule does not apply to putters.
Henderson said she has begun testing a 46-inch driver and “didn’t love it,” losing several yards. She would like to see the tour refrain from implementing the Model Local Rule, meaning she would likely only have to use a 46-inch driver at the U.S. Women’s Open and AIG Women’s British Open, where the rule will be enforced.
Henderson currently ranks ninth on the tour in driving distance at 273.8 yards.
The PGA Tour said in a statement that it planned to implement the Local Rule at the beginning of next year. A survey across the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions and Korn Ferry Tour found that a very small number of players have used or are currently using clubs longer than 46 inches. The new rule does not apply to putters.
How will it impact the women’s game?
The LPGA told Golfweek that it also plans to implement the Model Local Rule sometime after the 2021 season, noting that officials have already talked to the small number of players affected by the change.
Brooke Henderson has used a longer driver for her entire professional career. The 10-time winner might be the only player on tour who uses a 48-inch driver, though Chief Tour Operations Officer Heather Daly-Donofrio said there may be one or two other players.
Canada’s Henderson has gripped down on her clubs, including her driver, since she started playing the game at 3 or 4 years old. Earlier this year, Henderson said she tried to “grip like a normal person” a couple of years ago and it didn’t go well.
She currently ranks ninth on the tour in driving distance at 273.8 yards.
Brooke Henderson will have big sister Brittany back on the bag for this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA, her brother-in-law confirmed.
JOHNS CREEK, Georgia – Brooke Henderson will have big sister Brittany back on the bag for this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA, her brother-in-law confirmed.
Brittany’s work visa expired on June 15, but new work cards were printed just in time for the third major of the year.
“I’m thankful to be back on the bag for my sister,” said Brittany, a native of Smiths Falls, Ontario. “and excited to get to back to work at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.”
Last September, Brittany married Zach Sepanik, who hails from Grand Rapids and works for the LPGA’s communications team, and applied for new immigration status. The couple bought a house in Naples, Florida, after they wed and have been working with Senator Marco Rubio’s office to expedite the paperwork.
Brooke, a 10-time winner on tour who won the 2016 KPMG, played for the first time since February 2016 without Brittany on the bag at last week’s Meijer LPGA Classic and missed the cut with rounds of 75-67.
Brooke Henderson of Canada lines up a putt on the 10th green during the third round of the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on October 10, 2020, in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
A two-time winner of the Meijer (2017 and 2019), Brooke said the biggest change with having someone else on the bag was a dip in her confidence. She had veteran caddie Everette Nini working for her last week in Grand Rapids and early week in Georgia.
“We’ve worked together for five years, and she just knows me so well, so things are very easy,” Brooke explained. “Everett was great. He did a great job. I didn’t play that well, but he was right there for me and helped me out a lot.
“I think just explaining what I wanted to happen and speaking my mind, where normally Brit kind of knows what I’m thinking already, so that was probably the biggest challenge. Somewhere down the road when I do have another caddie, I just have to remember to speak clearly and really explain what I’m trying to do.”
Brooke Henderson says big sister Brittany might be back on the bag this week. “Hopefully things go the right direction soon.”
JOHNS CREEK, Georgia – Brooke Henderson still has veteran caddie Everette Nini with her at the KPMG Women’s PGA, but there’s a chance big sister Brittany will be back on the bag this week at Atlanta Athletic Club.
“Maybe,” said Brooke. “It’s just kind of at the point where we’re just waiting, and hopefully things go the right direction soon.”
Canada’s Henderson played for the first time since February 2016 without Brittany on the bag at last week’s Meijer LPGA Classic and missed the cut with rounds of 75-67. Brittany’s work visa expired on June 15.
Last September, the former Symetra Tour player married Zach Sepanik, who hails from Grand Rapids and works for the LPGA’s communications team, and applied for new immigration status. The couple bought a house in Naples, Florida, after they wed and have been working with Senator Marco Rubio’s office to expedite the paperwork.
Brooke, a two-time winner of the Meijer (2017 and 2019), said the biggest change with having someone else on the bag was a dip in her confidence.
“We’ve worked together for five years, and she just knows me so well, so things are very easy,” said Brooke. “Everett was great. He did a great job. I didn’t play that well, but he was right there for me and helped me out a lot.
“I think just explaining what I wanted to happen and speaking my mind, where normally Brit kind of knows what I’m thinking already, so that was probably the biggest challenge. Somewhere down the road when I do have another caddie, I just have to remember to speak clearly and really explain what I’m trying to do.”
Brooke Henderson hits her tee shot on the 11th hole during round two of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give at Blythefield Country Club on June 18, 2021 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Henderson, 23, ended a victory drought that dated back to June 2019 in dramatic fashion at the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open. She raved about the condition of Atlanta Athletic Club and said the two nines on the Highlands Course play quite differently. She hopes it continues to play long as the week goes on.
“Just on the front nine, lots of times the bunkers are up the right-hand side,” said Henderson, “and as long as you’re left of them, you’re good, and then on the back nine, there’s bunkers on both sides, and you kind of have to hit a little bit straighter in between them.”
A 10-time winner on the LPGA, Henderson’s lone major victory came at the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA at Sahalee.
After falling ill with a cold at the Mediheal and then competing without her sister by her side in Michigan, Brooke flew home to Florida for the weekend for a couple days on her own to rest, regroup and practice.
“I feel like I’m in a much better place,” she said.
