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CANADIAN PACIFIC WOMEN'S OPEN

August 28, 2016

Brooke Henderson

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Q. Pretty smooth way to finish there in front of the hometown.
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, you know, it was really cool. Walking up 18 and seeing all the fans and the whole crowd that I've had the entire week following me around was amazing. The applause at the end was something I'll definitely remember, and being able to finish off my week with a birdie on 18 was really cool, getting some money donated to CP for Heart, and it's been a really good week.

Q. How would you assess your game overall this week, and how do you feel moving forward into next week?
BROOKE HENDERSON: You know, I don't think it was 100 percent, but it was really close to being really good, which is always fun. Canadian Opens I haven't always finished my best here just because it's so busy and I have so many commitments and a lot of other things going on, but since I started when I was 14, I've just continued a little bit every year, which is always a good sign. This will be -- it looks like it will be my best finish here, so hopefully next year and the years after, I'll get closer to that No. 1 spot.

Q. How about a quick comment on the fact that it looks like yourself, Alena and Maude-Aimee all finished in the top 15, three Canadians. What are your thoughts on that?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I've been seeing their names on the leaderboard all week, and it's really cool. Both of them are really good friends to our family. Maude-Aimee played with my sister growing up, and then Alena and I have become really good friends over the last year. It's really cool to see them succeed and have awesome weeks, especially back home in Canada where the fans and the crowds are there. But yeah, all three of us in the top 15 is awesome.

Q. How does this set you up for this coming back in Cambridge? There's a certain vibe here, Canadians playing a Canadian tournament, but I think it'll be even more intense in Cambridge; you and Alena will be the home province as opposed to the home country golfers, so how does this help you prepare for that?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, this is our national championship and the crowds always seem to be amazing here wherever it is in the country, which is really cool. Cambridge hasn't had the same crowds the last couple of years, but that might change this year. I'm hoping so. The more, the better. Like you said, both Alena and I are from Ontario, and pretty close. She's just a couple hours away and I'm a four- to five-hour drive, so hopefully family and friends will come out. I love playing in front of a big crowd, especially when they're in my favor, so hopefully that will be the case next week.

Q. I'm going to look even further into the future. You've had a very interesting three weeks with the Olympics, here, Cambridge. Next year the Open is in Ottawa. I think a lot of Smiths Falls will go to watch you. How is this sort of run of three weeks do you think -- do you think you'll be drawing on that next year in Ottawa?
BROOKE HENDERSON: You know, next year in Ottawa is going to be amazing. We recently became members at the Ottawa Hunt, so it's my home golf course. It's only 45 minutes from my house. Lots of family and friends are already asking for tickets to come down and watch. I'm just really looking forward to it. I've had such an amazing experience here in Calgary, and I think just being a little bit closer to home, I think the crowds will really be outstanding. I'm really, really looking forward to that, and I have had three really busy weeks.

Olympics, there was a lot of things going on down there, and I had a pretty solid week. This week, again, my game is really close to being really, really good, so hopefully next week I'll just fix those little things and be closer to the top.

Q. Are you going to be able to sort of limit the demands on your time in Cambridge? I imagine they'll be quite strong again just being a home province golfer. Are you going to be able to manage it do you think?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I definitely want to give my time and energy as much as I can, but I have to look after myself, too, and sometimes you just need to conserve that energy and be able to focus on the week because at the end of the day, I need to play well and then the fans will come. I can't waste my energy and then not play well for them. Yeah, just have to manage my time, and hopefully things will go well.

Q. Is the support you get with the big galleries and the buzz, is that something you can harness or is it something that's better to keep at a distance?
BROOKE HENDERSON: No, I love it.

Q. How do you manage that energy?
BROOKE HENDERSON: I don't know, it just kind of -- early in the week I wasn't playing that well, and they just kind of gave me that extra boost to start playing well, and then I started 4-under, 4-under, 3-under, and that was all -- it was part to do with the fans. Their energy, I felt it, and then I just wanted to continue to improve and continue to make birdies. Yeah, I've said it before, but the more people the better, the bigger the crowds, the more energy I feel, and the better I play normally.

Q. Alena has talked a lot about the energy she's kind of gotten from spending some time with you. What have you maybe gained from that relationship? What have you learned from her?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, she's been an incredible friend to my sister and I and my whole family. Right from the get-go, a 17 year old joining the LPGA Tour -- not even joining. I wasn't a member yet, and she was giving me her yardage book, she was giving me her notes that she's gained over the last 11 years. She was telling me what flights to book, where the -- all the ins and outs of the LPGA Tour, and it really meant a lot. Every time I've won, she's the one person that's waiting for me on the 18th green with water. She runs on to give me a hug. Her support and her confidence in my ability has definitely given me that momentum, given me that confidence to know that I can play well, too.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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