At the end of a final round that tested her patience, and the nerves of an entire country, Brooke Henderson stood 12 feet away from her second major championship title.
Henderson rolled in the birdie putt on the 72nd hole to win the Amundi Evian Championship in France, her first major win in six years, further separating herself from every Canadian golfer to come before her.
“To be sitting here a two-time major champion is just an unreal feeling,” she said at the winner’s press conference.
At just 24 years old, Henderson is the first Canadian man or woman to win multiple major championships. Her 12th victory puts her four wins clear of Sandra Post, Mike Weir, and George Knudson on the sport’s top tours.
“In 2016 winning the first major changed my life,” she said of the playoff win over Lydia Ko at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. “My world ranking shot up and I just received a ton more attention from fans and media. It also made me feel like I really belonged out here and that I could contend for big, major championships and compete against the best in the world, which is an amazing feeling.”
Powered by opening rounds of 64-64, Henderson shot a fourth round even-par 71 for a 17-under total, and a one-shot victory over rookie Sophia Schubert (68).
“It was amazing the huge crowds that were out this week, and especially around the 18th hole,” she said. “Over that putt, you know, really I just did not want to go to a playoff. Did not want to play that hole again. So I was like, please go in.”
Majors are won on the back nine on Sunday. That was the mantra going through Henderson’s mind during the final round on the shores of Lake Geneva; which was a good thing considering how the front nine went for the Smiths Falls, Ont. native.
Beginning the day with a two-stroke lead over So Yeon Ryu, Henderson’s lead was stretched to three after Ryu made a four-putt double bogey at the fifth hole. But the Canadian gave it right back with a four-putt double of her own at the par-4 sixth hole, setting up a wide-open sprint to the finish.
“These greens are really tricky, and such a great putter, So Yeon four-putting the previous hole showed it’s very possible out here, and I think that was a good reminder that even very talented players can make mistakes on the greens here,” she said.
“It was a long day and I put myself in a position I didn’t really want to be in. It was really close the whole day. I think just having such a poor start and then staying patient and knowing that I was never really out of it, and to be able to climb back really means a lot.”
Playing without her A-game, Henderson shook off the mistake with a clutch bounce-back birdie at the par-5 seventh hole, but a bogey at the 11th dropped Henderson to 14-under and one back of the lead.
There was no shortage of contenders on the back nine, including former world No. 1 Nelly Korda (69) who chipped in for eagle at the ninth hole to temporarily tie Henderson at 14-under before fading down the stretch. Lydia Ko, another former No. 1, made five birdies in her final 10 holes to shoot 66 and finish in a five-way tie for third at 15-under.
The 26-year-old American Schubert entered the week ranked 283rd, but the underdog couldn’t birdie the 484-yard par-5 18th hole which opened the door for Henderson playing one group behind. With birdies at hole Nos. 14 and 15, Canada’s star was back in control of her destiny. After being forced to lay-up at the final hole, Henderson’s trademark power game couldn’t be the difference, it would come down to a wedge shot and a putt, and she delivered.
“You know, the first three days I putted so well, it was an amazing feeling,” she said. “Today was a little bit up and down, but it bailed me out when I needed it on the back nine.”
The win is Henderson’s second in the past two months. The most noticeable change in her game has been on the greens where she has switched to a left-hand low putting stroke. She first used the grip in competition last March, but used it only on putts inside 10 feet. Now using it everywhere, and leaving the flagsticks in on every putt, Henderson has found confidence in the most challenging part of her game.
She also highlighted a recent trip home to Canada as a turning point.
“I think also just spending time with my mom back home just really helped gain some perspective, kind of put my head in the right place so I could come back out here on tour and compete. To have two victories within a couple months is really exciting. I think it was just kind of getting the right mindset on, and hopefully I can continue that momentum going forward.”
Henderson’s Canadian fans on Sunday included Corey Conners, who tuned in from his home in Florida.
“It’s so amazing to watch Brooke continue to have such success,” Conners told Postmedia. “As impressive as her first two rounds were, it was so great to see her stay out front. She always seemed to bounce back from mistakes with a smile on her face. I’ve said it before but she still has many more victories and majors in her future. It’s very inspiring to watch.”
Sitting with her trophy, Henderson had a message for all her fans.
“Thank you so much for watching and supporting, and sorry for making it so interesting,” she said. “Happy to get it done, and thank you so much.”
The final women’s major of the season is the AIG Women’s Open Aug. 4-7 at Muirfield in Scotland. Three weeks later, Canadian fans will get a chance to see Henderson in person at the CP Women’s Open at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.
“To have so many family and friends and also just the entire Ottawa area and lots of Canadians out supporting and watching is going to be phenomenal,” she said.
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