DIAMOND RESORTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

January 19, 2021

Brooke Henderson

Tranquilo Golf Course

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome everyone to the 2021 LPGA Tour season this evening I guess now. We are joined by Brooke Henderson.

Brooke, Happy New Year. It was just Christmas a couple weeks ago. We want to know what do you do? Who did you spend it with? How did you celebrate?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I went home to Canada right after CME finished, so I had a two-week quarantine, which was lonely.

But then once I was out I was able to see my parents, which was really nice, and also my grandma. So nice to spend some time with them. Short time. I came back down here to Florida and started practicing getting ready for this event.

Q. Other than seeing family, was there anything you really wanted to do at home?

BROOKE HENDERSON: It actually snowed quite a bit, which was really exciting. I got to go skating on an outdoor lake, so it was pretty fun. Took me back to when I was really young spending Januarys in Canada.

Q. Why your sister join you back home?

BROOKE HENDERSON: No. She stayed here in the U.S.

Q. All right. So you ended the year really strong with a top 10 finish at CME. How do you feel three weeks later? Where is your golf game at?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, it's tough with having the break back home in Canada. Not a lot of practice happening. At the same time, it was kind of nice to take a break and get refreshed for 2021.

I'm really excited to be back here this week. Hopefully the game shows up and hopefully it's a good start.

Q. Crazy to think that you played only ten events last year. How do you think about it?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, it was a really huge change for me, normally playing almost 30 events to only play ten. So I am really excited the way the schedule looks this year. It looks really healthy and hopefully I'll be able to compete in many more tournaments and hopefully get back on to my winning streak.

Q. Brooke, this is an event that is usually kind of a soft lead-in to the season. You've got the celebrities, it's much more relaxed. But it's almost like we didn't end the season. We played up until nearly Christmas and now we're back. How does it feel different being here this year?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, for sure. You're right, it's really quick turnaround. It is really fun though seeing all the celebrities. I was talking to Josh Donaldson who I'm actually playing with on Thursday on the range this morning. It's just a lot of fun and a different atmosphere than just a regular tour event.

Definitely miss the fans this year because it's always a huge part of this event, but I'm still looking forward to the opportunity of just getting to know some of the celebrities a little bit more. I always enjoy playing with them.

Q. You mentioned the 2021 schedule is packed. You're known for playing a lot. Have you gone through and said, I need to miss this week and that week and scheduled it out?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I've definitely sat down with my dad, who is also my coach, and looked through the schedule. It's hard to say right now, especially you never really know what's going to happen with COVID. God forbid it got worse or something.

So you kind of have to be a little bit prepared to maybe take some events off that you don't want to. At the same time, right now we have a game plan, and I'm looking forward to playing this week and the two events back in Florida in about a month or so, and take it from there.

Q. Just to piggyback off that, you do tend to keep a pretty busy schedule. What do you think you've learned from that over the years to help you this year to not burn yourself out or get injured?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Actually, only playing ten events last year taught me how to prepare for events a little bit differently, because I was having more breaks naturally that I wasn't used to having.

It kind of taught me how to prepare in those off weeks to still perform well when I was back out competing.

Q. You played in this event before it was an LPGA event. What do you tell people, first timers, about this event? How did you describe it to them?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Just it's a week full of fun. Normally we are allowed to go to the concerts and some of the extra events that happen around here, and it's just a really great week.

But regardless, it's a great golf course, and as I mentioned, just getting to know some of the celebrities and playing with them, they're really great golfers, so it's just a different atmosphere. It's fun. It's just a great way to start the season.

Q. Couple weeks ago you re-tweeted one of our tweets about the top 10 Rolex Rankings. Just wondering how cool is it to see your name there and how much do rankings -- how much do you care about rankings?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, you know, I'm really proud to be in the top 10 of the women's world rankings. Rolex being a sponsor of mine it's even cooler to have that, too.

It's just hard, because a lot of people ask me about trying to become world No. 1. It's not necessarily a huge goal of mine right now. Obviously I would love to move up in the world rankings, but I'm just trying to take it tournament and small goals along the way.

And then if I get the opportunity to compete for the No. 1 spot, I'll definitely try my best.

Q. You're always doing really cool things. I have to ask, New Year's was just right around the corner. Did you set in place any resolutions golf or nongolf related?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Not really. I feel like just every day I'm just trying to become a better person and a better golfer. I'm just working through some things on the golf course and also off.

So I feel like just trying to be better, not only physically and mentally, but also emotionally and spiritually. So just all around trying to be a little bit better.

Q. Last one, I promise. We're so close to the Disney Orlando resort. Just wondering, if you could play with three other characters in your foursome, if they were alive, who would you play with?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Like Disney characters?

Q. Yes.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Definitely Mickey and Minnie. Maybe Goofy.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much and good luck this week.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Cool. Thank you.