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LOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY HERSHEY

April 14, 2018

Brooke Henderson

Kapolei, Oahu, Hawaii

THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. We had a lot of autographs to sign. We didn't, Brooke did.

I'm happy to have with us here in the media tent our winner of the 2018 Lotte Championship presented by Hershey, Brooke Henderson.

Brooke, you'd won last year in New Zealand, but now this beautiful trophy next to you. How do you feel?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Amazing. To get my sixth win on the LPGA tour really is another dream come true. I love playing out here. Sometimes it's a little bit of a grind. There are so many talented players.

So to get four rounds of great golf out of me I'm really happy about that. I was happy it was four shots coming down the last hole. I think I needed all of those just to calm my nerves a little bit.

To have another trophy, I'm extremely happy right now.

THE MODERATOR: It was, as you said, a big win for you. You had the cushion there at the end, but started out the day with just a one-stroke lead. What was the mindset going into the round today knowing you had Inbee, you had Shanahan, you had some big names right behind you?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, you know, I was quite disappointed after I finished my round yesterday. I still had a one-shot lead and I still was playing great golf. I just tried to forget about yesterday and just go out and try to make a lot of birdies and try to get out front and stay there.

Like you said, there were so many talented players that I knew could easily shoot 4- or 5-under round. I needed to get a good number as well.

Just tried to stick to my game plan and tried to be relaxed and calm when things might not be going perfectly. If I missed a couple putts, just hang in there.

I was able to do that and make a few putts down the stretch just to get my lead a little bit bigger.

THE MODERATOR: A big story this week certainly was the wind, the changing directions from every which way.

Today it definitely picked up in the afternoon it looked like to me. What were the conditions like for you today? We also had some rain.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, you know, off and on rain a little bit; crazy windy again. It's been really windy all week, and last year actually in New Zealand it was really windy, too, so maybe that's a key for me.

But just being able to adjust to it, kind of stay poised in it. You know, things aren't going to always go perfectly, but I felt like my ball striking was probably the best it's ever been. I know this year it's been really great.

I just kind of trusted in that, picked lines, and talked with Brit a lot about different yardages, where to hit it, where to start it. The wind was moving it ten, fifteen yards at times.

So just trying to be confident and make smart decisions.

THE MODERATOR: Before we open it up to questions, I did real briefly want to bring up the ribbon on you hat and in your post-round interview with Joey Fultz you dedicated this win to the victims of the crash up in Saskatchewan.

Just tell us what that means to you to be able to do that for your fellow countrymen.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, absolutely. It's extremely sad, a terrible tragedy what happened up there. I know it kind of affected my whole country. Everybody really took it kind of personally.

For all the survivors that are still fighting through it and all the ones that have passed away, I want to show them that we're here for them and we're supporting them. They're always going to be in our thoughts and prayers.

THE MODERATOR: They certainly are. Open it up for questions.

Q. Yesterday on the 16th things kind of went sideways. Back there today, make birdie, basically put the tournament away. Was that a nice sense of redemption?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, absolutely. It was a really tough hole for me yesterday, but to hit that great shot in there to the back pin and then to be able to make that birdie, yeah, that was really huge.

Kind of from four putts to one putt, that was a great feeling just to increase my lead a little bit more. I felt like I was in the driver's seat. I was really taking control of my round at that point.

I was feeling really well. Coming down 18, like I said, with that four-shot lead really helped, especially with that difficult pin that's tucked just over the front there.

Q. What's it like to basically have that tournament in your hand for the last two days and have to hold on it with everything that's going on, the weather and all the top-ranked players and everything?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, you know, I started out this week playing great, shooting minus-4 in the first round, I was really happy with that. To go out and shoot minus-6 I was even happier, you know. I felt like this could be my week.

To lead the tournament after 36 holes is a lot of fun, but a little bit of a difficult position as well. You might add a little bit more pressure on yourself. I think I felt that a little bit more yesterday than I did today.

To go out and still hold the lead after 54 holes, like I said, I was really disappointed in how I played, but still happy that I was in this position. You just always want that chance to win. That's what every golfer wants every single week: that ability, that they're in contention, they have a chance on the back nine on Sunday to do something great.

I was able to put myself in that position and capitalize on it, which was really cool.

Q. This is your sixth win. How much did the experience of the previous five play into what you did today?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, this is my third year on tour, and to be in the final group I feel not as nervous anymore; more confident in that position. I also think because I've been playing such great golf this whole week it gave me this a little bit extra confidence.

I was just going to go out, and like I said, I wanted to have that chance to win; I was able to put myself in that position. I think winning a major championship I guess two years ago and winning twice last year, it really gives you that little bit of confidence knowing you've done it before and you're capable of it.

You just got to bear down and do it again.

Q. Obviously your ball striking was really good all week. Do you feel like that's the best thing you did, or was there something else?
BROOKE HENDERSON: I would say that that's definitely right up there. I counted on it a lot. I think mentally I was also in a great spot. I missed a couple putts, which you could argue that mentally I wasn't there because of a couple miss-hits, but I think to recover from that and kind of put it in the past and then go out and make some more birdies and being the leader since I guess early Thursday, that does ad a little of pressure.

I felt like mentally I was really strong this week.

Q. Were you scoreboard watching at all?
BROOKE HENDERSON: I really didn't watch too many scoreboards today. I was just trying to get a good number, trying to stay within myself, and make some birdies; just hit the ball in really good spots.

Then when I looked on 17 green, I was really happy with what I saw. I knew 18 was a really difficult hole, so I just wanted to play smart and make sure I hit it on the green. Fortunately I was able to two-putt and win with four strokes.

THE MODERATOR: Anything further?

Q. One more. How big was the birdie on 14 when you went I think driver, driver and had a nice chip?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, on 13 I almost made that chip for eagle and then ended up walking away with par. I was a little bit disappointed, so 14 I definitely wanted to make birdie just to give myself that a little bit extra boost; I was able to do that driver, driver and still had 20 yards to the green.

Gave me a little bit of an advantage over the people I was playing with and probably most of the field being that close to the green because it was so windy on that hole; great chip shot. Then to make that three-footer - which this week hasn't really been my favorite putt to putt - but to make it gave me that a little bit extra momentum through the rest of the round.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much, Brooke. Congratulations. Enjoy the win.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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