SAMMAMISH, Washington – It was an prompt basic. Two hotshot youngsters, each ranked within the prime 4 on the earth, dazzling beneath the majestic firs on a course that’s identify interprets to “excessive heavenly floor.” The tree-lined fairways of Sahalee Nation Membership are so tight gamers have taken to calling it “Sa-hallway.”
Eight years in the past, Brooke Henderson hit a dagger to three toes on the primary playoff gap on the KPMG Ladies’s PGA Championship to disclaim World No. 1 Lydia Ko a 3rd consecutive main title. Ariya Jutanguarn, a 20-year-old who’d received three consecutive occasions coming into that week, completed solo third.
On Tuesday, the membership honored Henderson with an honorary membership and a commemorative plaque on the 18th, which can play as a par 5 fairly than a par 4 this 12 months. It was after that life-changing Sunday on the KPMG, Henderson stated, that she felt like something was doable.
“Actually, all the pieces simply went so completely that week,” stated Henderson, who even received a automobile with an ace through the first spherical. “I felt prefer it was meant to be.”
Henderson really gave the Kia K900 to her sister, Brittany, who nonetheless drives it.
Brooke Henderson swaps golf equipment on the T-Cell 5G vary through the KPMG Ladies’s PGA Championship observe spherical at Sahalee Nation Membership on Monday, June 17, 2024, in Sammamish, Washington. (Photograph by Scott Taetsch/PGA of America)
Whereas Henderson went on to develop into the winningest Canadian participant in historical past with 13 wins, Ko — a 20-time LPGA winner — now sits one level away from qualifying for the LPGA Corridor of Fame.
The pair, who at the moment are buddies, competed in the identical CN Canadian Ladies’s Open when Henderson was 14 and Ko was 15. Ko, after all, went on to win that week in 2012, when Henderson thought she was doing effectively simply by being within the subject.
“Her profession has been phenomenal,” stated Henderson of the Kiwi, “and profitable right here in 2016, having the ability to beat the No. 1 participant on the earth on the time, someone that I seemed as much as, it was an enormous turning level in my profession.”
Henderson put a brand new putter within the bag the week that she received at Sahalee, and she or he’s hoping to rekindle that very same magic as she makes one other putter change this week. It’s been a weak level of her recreation this 12 months.
Two-time Olympic golf medalist Lydia Ko describes the delight she feels representing New Zealand on the Video games and appears forward to Paris. 🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/OGwcBz86LA
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) June 19, 2024
“I really feel like this 12 months I’ve type of tried a couple of various things with my placing,” she stated, “pin in, pin out, left-hand low, extra of a conventional grip. So simply type of attempting to really feel it out and looking for one thing that works.”
Ko has been switching issues up a bit as effectively, including one other coach to her steady in Holton Freeman, who’s a brief drive from her residence in Lake Nona, Florida. She’ll nonetheless working with Siwoo Lee, too, however isn’t capable of join with the South Korean-based teacher in individual as a lot as she’d like.
Now a superb 10 yards longer than she was in 2016, Ko will deal with Sahalee in several methods this time round.
“I’m fairly certain there are issues I used to be most likely higher at after I was a teen,” she stated, “and now I’ve a bit extra expertise, so I feel how I deal with some conditions might be just a little bit higher.
“I hope it’s higher.”
After that magnificent 7-iron from 155 yards on the primary playoff gap, the shot that stands proud probably the most from Henderson’s final-round 65 was the 90-foot eagle putt she drained from off the inexperienced on the par-5 eleventh. That minimize Ko’s lead down from three to at least one.
“My caddie, Paul, and I had been joking that you might drop like 100 balls and never get it inside 5 toes,” stated Ko. “For her to have holed that, wow.”
Lydia Ko of New Zealand appears on whereas taking part in a shot on the eleventh inexperienced previous to the KPMG Ladies’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Nation Membership on June 19, 2024, in Sammamish, Washington. (Photograph by Steph Chambers/Getty Pictures)
Of the 156 gamers within the subject, 46 have prior expertise at Sahalee. World No. 1 Nelly Korda isn’t amongst them however has already taken to the place, noting that it’s straightforward to get misplaced within the magnificence. She had her telephone out on Wednesday throughout a observe spherical to seize a household of geese.
“Total, I feel each gap appears just a little completely different,” she stated throughout a very upbeat press convention. “They’re all intimidating and nice in their very own method.”
Korda has missed her final two cuts coming into the KPMG however has already received six instances this season.
On Thursday, it is going to be a reunion of types as the highest 3 finishers from 2016 – Henderson, Ko and Jutanugarn – tee it up collectively for the primary spherical. Collectively, they’ve received 28 LPGA titles because the 2016 KPMG.
Every has had their share of ups and downs.
A now-married Ko, who’s additionally a canine mother, stated on Golf Channel’s Golf Central set Wednesday that she generally forgets she’s a serious champion after profitable each the ANA Inspiration and Evian as a teen. A lot has modified for Ko over time inside her group and her recreation as she’s grown up on tour.
For Henderson, although, a lot has stayed the identical. Massive sister Brittany continues to be on the bag. Her father, Dave, nonetheless takes care of her on the technical aspect. Even so, lots of miles, lots of life has transpired since she first tasted main championship success on excessive heavenly floor.
“I’ve grown up loads,” stated Henderson, “have extra victories out on tour now. A variety of good issues have occurred.”
With, little question, extra good to return.
