Henderson finishes sturdy as Khang captures first LPGA title at CPKC Ladies’s Open

VANCOUVER – Brooke Henderson can breathe once more.  

The Canadian, whose accountability because the queen of the CPKC Ladies’s Open is over for one more yr, ended her week at Shaughnessy Golf and Nation Membership with a bang. She wasn’t the winner. However her Sunday effort meant loads as she appears to be like to finish her season sturdy.  

Henderson completed tied for thirteenth, her sixth top-15 end of the season. She shot a 4-under 68, tied for her low spherical of the week.  

“This was general a fantastic week. I didn’t play my greatest, however the followers out right here had been wonderful. I really feel actually glad as we speak,” Henderson stated. “(Now) I get to take a deep breath now and let it out and principally begin getting ready for subsequent yr (in Calgary).”    

Megan Khang broke by way of for her maiden LPGA Tour title, successful in a dramatic playoff over former world No.1 Jin Younger Ko. Khang, who bogeyed the par-3 seventeenth, bounced again with a good strategy on the 72nd gap and rolled within the birdie to tie Ko. Ko hit her drive into the timber within the first playoff gap and Khang simply wanted a par to win.  

“I do know my recreation is type of trending and it’s type of matured over the previous few years, and so I type of was extra so prefer it’s going to occur. It’s only a matter of time,” Khang stated. “You already know, simply occurred to be on the CPKC Ladies’s Open. You already know, this course suited my recreation very properly and I’m simply pumped to lastly get the primary one.” 

Henderson – who is sweet pals with Khang and grew up enjoying junior golf together with her – was 5-under for her first 9 holes Sunday, together with an eagle from simply 10 toes on the par-5 seventh. She backed that up with birdies on Nos. 8 and 9.  

Though she gave two photographs again on the again 9 with bogeys on Nos. 12 and 13, she added a birdie on the par-4 sixteenth and holed a slippery par-saver on 18.  

“At the moment it was actually vital to me to attempt to have a very good spherical, attempt to play just a little bit extra freely, and attempt to make some birdies,” Henderson stated.  

Henderson had her greatest time without work the tee on Sunday and hit essentially the most greens in regulation for the week within the finale, too. All week Henderson had been preaching how vital ball hanging could be and that was the plain key for her final spherical.

“I’m actually excited to have the spherical I did as we speak, particularly the entrance 9. That was lots of enjoyable. Felt prefer it gave the followers one thing to be actually enthusiastic about, which I’m at all times making an attempt to do, in order that felt very nice,” Henderson stated.  

Henderson has eight occasions left in her 2023 marketing campaign and stated she was completely happy to have grinded out a strong consequence even with out her greatest stuff this week. 

“I used to be in a position to grind it out after I was struggling. Then as we speak I used to be in a position to type of journey a wave of momentum. 5-under by way of 9 holes is lots of enjoyable,” Henderson stated with a realizing smile. “So though it wasn’t my greatest (consequence), there have been instances that I used to be doing the precise issues, and I really feel like I discovered loads within the instances I used to be type of struggling just a little bit.” 

Henderson admitted this season she hasn’t had her traditional degree of consistency. She broke out of the gates with a powerful win on the Hilton Grand Holidays Match of Champions, the primary occasion of the season. She’s caught on simply two top-10 finishes for the yr, nonetheless.  

Henderson stated when issues begin to slip it’s straightforward to panic, one thing she stated she has achieved this yr. Whereas she’s repeatedly stated that she feels she’s trending in the precise route, a spherical like Sunday the place she acquired off to such a quick begin is proof constructive that her exhausting work is working.  

“I really feel like several time I will be again within the closing teams on the weekend and able to hoist my 14th-win trophy,” Henderson stated. “In order that’s the objective. Simply maintain working and attempt to follow the method.”  

Khang, the 2023 CPKC Ladies’s Open champion, is aware of all about sticking to the method. And at last, after eight years of making an attempt, she will be able to name herself an LPGA Tour winner.  

“It’s robust to win out right here. Eight years is a very long time,” Khang stated. “It’s nice to get the primary.” 

The LPGA Tour heads to Portland subsequent week – a event Henderson has gained twice in her profession – whereas subsequent yr’s CPKC Ladies’s Open might be performed at first-time host venue Earl Gray Golf Membership, which has, in line with Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum, the “best” superior ticket gross sales within the historical past of the event.