VANCOUVER – There was a half-hearted version of ‘O Canada,’ and a few little waves, and then three dozen autographs after her round. Brooke Henderson got the love, there’s no doubt about that, but she left the third round at the CPKC Women’s Open disappointed with her day – and her week so far.
The Canadian superstar shot a 3-over 75 in the third round to fall well down the leaderboard. A return to the winner’s circle in Canada will have to wait for another year. She’s at 2 over for the week and tied for 34th.
“You know, it’s not really clicking right now but I feel I’m kind of keeping it together the best I can,” Henderson said. “Nothing is super sharp right now, so just trying to grind it out.
“Bottom line was I wasn’t making birdies. This course is tough enough that you’re going to make some bogeys out there, so you kind of need to counter that.”
The difference once again was the ball-striking. Henderson hit just half of her fairways on Saturday at the tricky Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club and eight greens in regulation. She bogeyed Nos. 5 and 8 on the front nine before adding another bogey on the par-3 12th and a double bogey on the par-4 14th.
Henderson rolled in a birdie on the par-4 16th but by that point she was unable to pull herself out of the deep hole.
“I think at the beginning of the day I thought if I could make a bunch of birdies I could really climb up, which was a good feeling to have I think. But […] the pins were tricky if you got to the wrong spots. This course, if you hit in the rough, you’re kind of screwed,” Henderson said with a smile. “I was in the rough a lot. I just kind of ham and egged it a little bit, got it around.
“Obviously any time you’re shooting over par doesn’t feel great, but like I said, just try to go out tomorrow and make a few quick birdies.”
Henderson will head into Sunday well back of the lead held by American Megan Khang, who sits at 11 under through 54 holes. Khang leads Sei Young Kim – who made both a hole-in-one and an eagle on a drive-able par-4 on Saturday – by three shots.
Khang has done everything there is in women’s professional golf, except win – three top-10s in major championships just this season, a multi-time member of the United States’ Solheim Cup team, and 33 top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour.
Through three rounds of the CPKC Women’s Open, she’s on track for a breakthrough title. She said she’s trying to battle some inner mental demons, but she’s leaning on her caddie for support.
“It’s a lot of learning over the past few years to stay patient, don’t get too ahead of myself. I told (my caddie) before the round, ‘hey, I feel like I’m a little anxious right now and I really need you to be there for me.’ I might not talk as much. Shocker for most people who don’t know me,” Khang said.
“(My caddie) is there to remind me that like, ‘hey, let’s not try so hard and just play our game.’”
While Khang is in the driver’s seat so far at this year’s CPKC Women’s Open, Henderson is still looking at her map to try to find success this season.
Henderson added to her win total at the first event of the 2023 LPGA Tour season but is still out there searching for consistency, she said. She only has eight more events left in her 2023 campaign but that includes the big-purse season finale CME Group Tour Championship. There’s plenty to play for.
“It’s disappointing. I feel like I’m a little bit upset with just how my game is right now. I’m also proud that I’m out here, playing the weekend, and with how things have been, I’m just grateful to be out here with all the love and support from all the fans,” Henderson said. “They made me feel a lot better about myself walking up 18. There is so much love here and that really means a lot to me.”
There will be one more day for those Canadian crowds to support Henderson.
Not to a win, but hopefully to a solid finish.
