Even two of the best golfers in Canadian historical past say they had been nonetheless studying on the course in 2025.
Brooke Henderson and Nick Taylor each gained on the highest ranges of golf this previous 12 months and stated they had been nonetheless engaged on their video games greater than a decade into their skilled careers.
“I believe that’s one thing that each golfer learns, is you could by no means good it. You’re at all times making an attempt to develop and to be taught,” stated Henderson, who gained this 12 months’s CPKC Girls’s Open for a second time. “Every single day is a problem, new challenges, outdated challenges, however day-after-day is unquestionably a problem.
“You’re simply making an attempt to higher your self. Every single day you simply stand up, and also you attempt to be taught one thing new.”
Henderson gained the Girls’s Open, Canada’s nationwide championship and solely LPGA Tour occasion north of the border, on Aug. 24 by a stroke at Mississauga Golf and Nation Membership in Mississauga, Ont. It was the 14th win of her storied LPGA Tour profession.
Taylor began the 12 months off on the best foot, successful the Sony Open at Waialae Nation Membership in Honolulu, Hawaii on Jan. 12. It was the fifth win of his PGA Tour profession and, impressively, his third consecutive playoff victory.
“I believe I used to be most pleased with the extent of play that I saved up, even after a win, not likely settling or being glad, that I saved pushing, making an attempt to enhance,” stated Taylor from his hometown of Abbotsford, B.C. “I felt like I saved a stage play up that I actually haven’t had that consistency, in all probability, in my profession.
“Though 2023 was clearly an outstanding 12 months with consistency as nicely, with the RBC Canadian Open win, I felt like final 12 months was only a slight step above that.”
Taylor’s victory on the Sony Open additionally moved him up the all-time wins listing for Canadians on golf’s prime excursions. He’s now fifth behind Henderson’s 14 and a three-way tie of eight wins between Winnipeg’s George Knudson, Sandra Put up of Oakville, Ont., and Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont.
“We’re making an attempt to get to a significant, to be together with Mike Weir (who gained Augusta in 2003), on the boys’s facet of golf,” stated Taylor on his place within the historical past books. “It appears like Brooke’s on an island of her personal with all her success, and it could be untouchable for all of us, however one thing to admire and work in direction of.
“However I’m undoubtedly pleased with the actual fact I acquired to 5 wins. I didn’t actually take into consideration the historical past facet of it, but it surely’s going to maintain me pushing to attempt to get extra.”
Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., is one in every of three Canadians who could have full-time standing on the LPGA Tour in 2026. She’ll be joined by Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., and Vancouver’s Leah John, who earned their playing cards by way of qualifying earlier this month.
There shall be seven Canadians with full rides on the PGA Tour within the new 12 months: Taylor, Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont.
John, Ewart and Yellamaraju will all be rookies on golf’s prime circuits.
“What an incredible couple of months for Canadian golf, proper? Sudarshan, AJ, Leah, all getting their rookie playing cards,” stated Paul Perrier, who was named Golf Canada’s new chief sport officer on Dec. 3. “I believe it speaks to the worldwide aggressive momentum that Golf Canada has.
“The high-performance pathway was designed to create this actual course of the place we’re offering alternatives, assets, teaching for our subsequent superstars to actually leap into these excursions, to assist them be on this place and be in one of the best place to succeed and carry out at this stage.”
Perrier additionally confirmed that Golf Canada continues to be dedicated to its strategic plan of getting 30 gamers on the PGA and LPGA Excursions by 2032, a aim set by his predecessor, Kevin Blue, in February 2022.
The uncooked supplies are actually in place, as Golf Canada reviews that leisure play throughout the nation once more grew in 2025.
Their final nationwide survey was in 2024, when practically six million Canadians performed golf. Nonetheless, greater than 11 million scores had been posted to Golf Canada’s app in 2025, up six per cent year-over-year and 54 per cent above pre-pandemic ranges.
Golf Canada’s annual report additionally says that greater than 200,000 younger folks now have interaction with programming by way of golf programs, colleges, and neighborhood centres. Additionally, greater than $12 million has been raised since 2020 to assist equitable entry, coach coaching, and youth curriculum supplied by the nationwide sport group.
“It’s a sport of connection, and it’s one thing that basically invitations everybody to take part in,” stated Perrier. “Once you’re in a rustic like Canada, the place sometimes you’re not capable of get exterior on a regular basis, whenever you do get that chance, you need to discover actions which can be difficult, that can assist you to be social and round folks.”
Henderson stated the expansion of leisure golf in Canada has been wonderful.
“To assume that I could have performed a small half in that’s actually thrilling to me,” stated Henderson, who began enjoying as a three-year-old. “I believe it’s an unimaginable sport you could play your total life, and you’ll actually construct friendships and relationships, actually community.
“I really feel prefer it simply teaches you so many nice life classes, particularly as a child. Honesty, perseverance, integrity, simply so many good issues come from it.”
