Moving home her birdie putt to clinch the Evian Championship , the Canadian collected her ball prior to embracing her caddie, her sister Brittany , to check that she had indeed just secured her 2nd major win.
“Did we do this? ” the lady asked.
As well as ending a six-year wait for a major title after success at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in 2016, it also noticeable the 24-year-old’s 12th win on the LPGA Tour, extending the girl lead as the most successful Canadian golf player in history.
In 11 of those 12 wins, Brittany — seven many years her senior — was on the bag offering guidance. Not even close to a sibling rivalry, Henderson and her sister have always been a perfect team.
“I definitely couldn’t do that without her, inch Henderson, still soaked in champagne and water from the festivities, told reporters.
“Traveling around the world and getting to see amazing places such as this, it makes it a lot more special being able to get it done with her.
“She really keeps me personally in line out there plus having her knowledge, knowledge and assistance all the time… I’m simply really grateful. ”
Sibling recommendations
That counsel proved vital in Henderson surging through the final stretch to clinch a dramatic one-stroke victory in Évian-les-Bains, France.
On a deciding day where just 2 shots would ultimately separate the champion from the five players tied in third, the Canadian began poorly with two bogeys and a dual bogey by the 11th hole to see her initial two-stroke business lead chipped away.
And as Sophia Schubert drained back-to-back birdies to nudge ahead at the twelfth, Henderson faced the particular challenging prospect of staying positive while a major championship appeared in danger of slipping aside.
“It was very difficult, sometimes easier said than done in these situations, ” the lady said. “I put myself in a position I actually didn’t really want to be in.
“Brit was really key, reminding me that ‘we’re still in it, simply relax and hit good shots. Attempt to hit fairways, attempt to hit greens. Simply keep it simple. ‘”
The advice strike home, as Henderson shot two birdies at the 14th and 15th holes to reach at the 18th tied for the lead with Schubert. And when the particular American’s putt rolled agonizingly around the glass, Henderson knew a successful conversion of her own eight-foot birdie possibility would crown the girl a two-time major winner.
With that pressure and the eyes of the big crowd on her, the Canadian accepted to some nerves standing over the ball. However once again, her cousin was on hand to help.
“We’ve worked a lot upon green reading plus being more confident over it and trying to apparent the mind a little bit, inch Henderson explained. “Those steps have really made a huge distinction.
“Brit and I agreed on the particular read, which gives a little extra self-confidence too when you’re each seeing the same thing.
“Over that putt I just actually did not want to visit a playoff, I did not need to play that opening again, so I was just like ‘please go in. ‘”
Homecoming
And in it went, sealing one more major triumph another Tour win within months after triumph at the ShopRite LPGA Classic in June.
After taking a short crack from the game, actively playing no LPGA activities in May, Henderson provides finished no lower than 16th in any of the five events she has played since. Ranked 12th in the world during her time away, she heads into the closing stretch from the season as the Globe No . 6 and fully re-energized.
Once more, it was family that will proved pivotal, along with Henderson crediting her sister, mother and father — who coaches the girl — in helping her reset.
“Being capable to spend time with my family and just connect back with where I was raised and relax for any couple weeks was really key, ” she stated.
“Sometimes you just need to gain viewpoint again and work on the correct mindset to become out here competing week in week out and at this type of high level.
“Then I was capable to come back out and get two victories quite quick and also a few top finishes. I simply really needed this. ”
With the Ladies British Open nearing in August, her form puts the chance of a third main firmly on the horizon, but Henderson already provides her eyes on another event later on that month.
In the Canadian Women’s Open, at Ottawa Quest and Golf Club, she gets the chance to play nationwide hero at a training course just over an hour through where she grew up.
“It’s going to be crazy, ” said Henderson, who grew to become the first Canadian in 45 years in order to win the event with victory in Saskatchewan in 2018.
“Going to have so many family and friends there and also the whole Ottawa area, and a lot of Canadians supporting and watching, so it’s going to be phenomenal.
“Winning that championship back in 2018 was a huge highlight so I would like to be able to do it again, especially so close to home. ”