CPKC WOMEN'S OPEN

July 28, 2024

Brooke Henderson

Earl Grey Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Brooke Henderson after wrapping up the final round the CPKC Women's Open. Solid round today. Moved up the leaderboard a little bit. Just talk about the day you had out there.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, it was a lot of fun out there. The crowds have been truly phenomenal all week. I've just felt so loved. Such as amazing feeling.

I had so many people out there watching me today and I wasn't necessarily expecting that. I was thinking they might go watch the leaders. It was just so cool. It was a lot of fun today climbing up leaderboard a little bit, making some birdies.

You always want a little bit more, but I'm really happy with how today went.

Q. We could hear the crowds from No. 17 over here, and on the TV we saw you walking up 18. Just talk about those last two holes and especially the fans that were out there for you.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, it's just hard to describe honestly how much it means to me, all the love and support. They were very loud and very energetic on 17 which was so cool.

Couple great renditions of O, Canada which is -- it's hard to hit a tee shot right after that, but such an amazing feeling and I just can't thank everyone enough for coming out and supporting the event.

I heard this morning that CPKC Has Heart raised so much money for the hospitals here and I'm so grateful for that.

Q. When you're as far back as you were to start the day, do you feel like job number one is making birdies to give those people something to cheer about?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I think going into today my main focus and main purpose was to climb the leaderboard. I was trying to get into the top 10; hopefully it stays. It's a little questionable right now.

Yeah, just trying to climb as much as I could and make birdies. One great thing about the fans is I know they're just happy to see me regardless of how I'm playing which is so cool.

But I always just try to play really well for them and try to give them something exciting to take away from the day.

Q. And so with that said, do you feel like kind of even though you're going to finish where you're going to finish, do you feel mission accomplished because you did play well today?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, for sure. I think the weekend I played really solid. Minue-3 yesterday, minus-4 today, so if I cleaned up the first two rounds a little bit I feel like I could have been right in the mix which is a great feeling to take away.

It's awesome to finish Sunday with a minus-4 round because you feel like you did climb up the leaderboard a little bit. Feel you have lots of positives and confidence to take forward which is a good thing for me going into Paris in ten days or so.

Q. This is I guess on the same topic. What do you feel is the sort of the state of your game now as you get ready for Paris?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, the ball striking really started to come around, especially yesterday and today. Felt like I was hitting a lot more how I'm used to hitting it: hitting more greens and giving myself more looks which is what I really like, and gives me confidence to play more aggressively which I love to do.

So I feel like my game is in a really good spot. It's been trending for really long time now and I feel like I'm getting closer every week too winning again.

Next week I'm working with my coach, my dad, and my sister, who caddies for me at home, so I'll be trying to put in good prep work and see what we can do going into Paris.

Q. Understanding you're always trying to win the whole thing, is there still a significance to top Canadian for you?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, it's very meaningful. I'm very proud to be Canadian. Any time I can represent the leaf and wear red and white and make the Canadians proud is really cool.

I have quite a few of those little medals now, and it's really exciting. I'm always very proud to receive it.

Q. You mentioned No. 9; made a pretty good putt there. Did that sort of the help propel you for the rest of the round?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Oh, yeah, for sure. I'm going to call that a great putt because I was really happy to see it go in. It was really tricky, it was really fast. The green was very quick there. My sister described it as super lightning. After I made it she said, that was amazing feel.

Felt really good. Felt like the fans around the green really enjoyed it.

Q. How long was it?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Around six paces, so wasn't that long but it was breaking and quick.

Q. And then you had a couple more birdies on the back nine. Feel you were playing really solid?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, for sure. I was really happy to get a birdie on 14 and contribute a little bit more to the fundraising efforts. Then 16 was nice to get a tap-in because that hole has -- I really wanted to get it today because I bogeyed it two other days. It was a high priority today to try to make birdie.

Q. Can you finally speak to just the atmosphere, especially on 17? You heard the O, Canada rendition; had four days of this. Take me through your thoughts on perhaps how amazing it is that the Canadian fans came out and supported, in particular the ones here in Calgary?

BROOKE HENDERSON: So amazing. I don't know how to describe how much it means to me. Just that atmosphere is amazing. There is so much energy and love, and it's so cool to have the opportunity to go and play and compete in front of them.

I like when I do good things and I make them even happier, but just to feel that love and support is phenomenal. The crowds were so good this year in Calgary, and I'm looking forward to what they'll be like next year in Mississaugua.

Q. Does that atmosphere bring about a sense of pressure when you arrive for this tournament?

BROOKE HENDERSON: I would say that I feel more pressure at this event than most, but that's just because I'm trying to play so well. This event has always really meant a lot to me.

And pressure is not necessarily a bad thing. It's just something you have to embrace and deal with the best you can. I feel like for the most part I generally play pretty well at this event which is really cool.

Every time I come here, I love the opportunity that I could hoist my national championship trophy again. Winning in 2018 was a huge highlight, so just always trying to play the best I can and give the fans something to cheer about.

Q. About Olympics, anything on your Bucket List for Paris or the Olympics, watching any other sports while you're there?

BROOKE HENDERSON: I was trying to look at the schedule and see what other events I could go and watch. We are pretty far a ways from everything, so we'll kind of just see what we can get to when we're there. Honestly I am just super excited for the whole experience. I loved Rio. That was one of my favorite ones.

Hopefully we can be similar to Rio and be in contention for a medal and just see some of the other athletes doing what they do best.

Q. First of all, when you said home, do you mean Smiths falls or Florida?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Smiths Fall.

Q. Do you think they should name th bunker on the left side of one The Brooke Bunker?

BROOKE HENDERSON: I really hope they don't, but then maybe they should.

Q. The final one, I asked Nick and Corey, if you could compete in another event at the Olympics, what would it be? Besides golf.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Oh, wow. I guess growing up playing hockey, if I could have played hockey in the Winter Games, that would've been really amazing.

Q. Summer games.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Summer games? I don't know. I don't know if I'd be good at anything else. I really do admire the other sports. Everyone is pretty glued to the women's gymnastics. I am cheering for Ellie Black. I heard she did really well today. Obviously Simone is pretty amazing too.

I look up to them, I don't think I could do it.