Profit-seeking corporations aren’t the only supporters hoping to turn the successes of Brooke Henderson into something more.
The national sport organization for golf also hopes the 19-year-old LPGA Tour star from Smiths Falls inspires Canadian contemporaries and those following in her spike marks.
Thompson says Henderson is a living, breathing motivator for female Canadian professional golfers, including other graduates of Golf Canada’s national squad program on the LPGA Tour such as Jennifer Ha of Calgary and Maude-Aimée Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que. Even Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, who qualified for the tour before the national program started, has had her best seasons since Henderson turned pro.
“Maybe I can get there, too,” is what they’re thinking, according to Thompson. International success for any Canadian golfer creates heightened interest from media, companies and the “high net worth” individuals who might support the Golf Canada Foundation and, through that, Golf Canada’s Young Pros Program to offer funding and services for competitors just leaving the amateur ranks.
For comparison’s sake, think back a decade and a half ago to when Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont., reached the top three in the world men’s rankings and won the Masters. Ask Graham DeLaet, Adam Hadwin, Mackenzie Hughes, David Hearn, Nick Taylor and Manotick’s Brad Fritsch, all currently on the PGA Tour, how much Weir inspired them.
