THE MODERATOR: All right, very pleased to be joined Brooke Henderson, former winner of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. Brooke, won this event in 2017; continues to come back here though. What is it about this course, this event, this community that keeps bringing you back?
BROOKE HENDERSON: I love this event. It's so fun to come back here every single year. I think the energy and atmosphere is what's so special. It's so kid and family friendly, and, you know, especially on the weekend when everyone is out and watching, it's just really fun to be playing and having them cheer us on and support us.
I think another huge part of this event that makes it so awesome to be a part of is the charity aspect and for Simply Give. They raise so much money and it helps so many families in the local community.
Q. Golf course specifically, what is the key to success out there?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Well, this golf course is very similar to a lot of courses you grew up playing on back home in Canada when I was young, so I think that's another reason I love it here. Tree-lined. Grasses are similar. Even the design of the holes, I feel like they really suit my eye.
So it's always a lot of fun for me to be out here playing. You know you go -- you can go really low. There is a lot of par-5s, a lot of reachable par-5s, so a lot of birdies which makes it fun, too.
Q. You mentioned the charitable aspect of Simply Give and all they do for this the community, this event. You yourself, nominee for the 2026 Dow Impact Award. Talk about getting that nomination and maybe share a little bit of what you do to give back to the community?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Sure, yeah. It was very unexpected. I was very surprised, but very proud and very honored to be a nominee for the Dow Impact Award. It's always meant a lot to me to try to help other people and give back to the communities and just try to be a positive change and be a good person.
So any way that I can try to help others, time, money, just support, I'm trying to do that.
Q. Hey, Brooke, two-time winner here. How motivated are you to get a third one?
BROOKE HENDERSON: It would be so cool to get a third one. I was thinking about it the other day, and there is a few tournaments I've won twice but never three times. I was thinking this would be such an amazing opportunity to do it here.
I do love this course and I love the way it feels. I definitely have a strategy that's worked well in the past so hopefully I can carry that through this week. But really I'm just trying to continue to build my game, trying to grow it, just trying to be a little bit better in some areas that I haven't been as strong so far this year.
But hopefully get off to a fast start on Thursday and see what happens.
Q. How difficult is it to win a tournament three times?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, very difficult, especially since my last win there has been a few changes to the course. But I think, yeah, it's very difficult, but I'm definitely up for the challenge.
Q. What's the significance of this event to you in your career?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Huge. In 2017 it had been a while between my last win in 2016 and 2017. I just remember having a huge relief when I won. It was like, yeah, I can do it again, and then I was able to do it a lot of times after that, which was amazing.
And then in 2019, winning this event I became the winningest Canadian golfer in history, which is a stat that I'm really, really proud of and hopefully to continue building on.
But it was just -- I remember being very nervous walking down that 72nd hole and realizing all I needed was par was kind of a huge relief. I took a breath. But this event has always meant a lot to me.
Q. Having those huge milestones and then being now at this stage of your career, how have you seen yourself grow and change since those early years competing and winning here?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, definitely changed and definitely grown a lot. It's really fun for me to look back though and kind of watch those highlights and relive how I was feeling and what I did when I was pretty young.
But, no, yeah, much older and hopefully wiser. Some days I don't know. But it's just been such an incredible journey out here on the LPGA Tour. I'm just grateful to be back here this year.
Q. How would you describe the state of your game coming into this week?
BROOKE HENDERSON: It was really nice to get a good finish at the U.S. Women's Open a couple weeks ago. I felt like I could have finished even higher, but was happy to shoot 4-under on the back nine on Sunday and kind of climb up into the top 25 range. That felt really nice.
I feel like my game is trending in the right direction. Physically, mentally I feel like I'm getting better all the time and looking forward to a big summer.
Q. Who from your team is with you this week and who do you have on the bag?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, so both my parents are here. My dad coaches, which is great. Cousin is on the bag again, which has been a lot of fun and I think a great addition to our team.
I'm really fortunate because I have so many family and friends that live pretty close to here, so that makes it another really special week that I feel so much love and support.
Q. What do you feel like you and your cousin found at Riviera that's kind of clicked for you?
BROOKE HENDERSON: We used to grow up playing a lot golf together so we know each other really well off the course and then also on the course he knows my game really well and when to say things and when not to, which is really key.
I feel like we just kind of started to find our rhythm and groove, and I'm excited for the rest of the summer.
Q. What inspired you when you were a young girl to get started in golf and then continue on to the professional level?
BROOKE HENDERSON: I think for me, when I was young it was just something that I did with my older sister and my dad. For me, that was so much fun to be able to play with them after school and on the weekends and all summer long.
I just wanted to be with them. To be with them meant I was on the golf course, and then I kind of just fell in love with the game. Fell in love with the friendships that I built along the way.
Q. What meaning has golf held in your life and what legacy are you hoping to pave with your career?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Oooh, golf has been so meaningful, and I think it's such a great game for the younger generation and everybody to learn just because of all the values that it holds. So many life lessons you learn at a very young age when you play the game of golf.
I think being nominated for the Dow Impact Award has also meant a lot to me because I've always tried to be a better person and better golfer like almost every single day. So just trying to continue that trend and trying to grow and learn and be better.
Q. What words of inspiration of wisdom would you have for the next generation of aspiring female athletes?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Sounds pretty cliche, but just work hard and have fun. If you're enjoying what you're doing it's really easy to work really hard to chase after your dreams. But if you don't enjoy it, then I feel like people don't go as far as maybe they could.
Yeah, just find something that you really love. Hopefully it's golf. Then just chase after your dreams.
Q. June 12th celebrated the ten-year anniversary of a pretty momentous win for you at the KPMG. What's changed in ten years? And when you look back at maybe Baby Brooke to now, how proud are you of how far you've come on the LPGA Tour?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, definitely. It's been such an incredible journey. Sometimes I think about that young girl growing up. If somebody would've told her then that I would've been right here right now with 14 wins and two majors and been to three Olympic Games and friendships and all the amazing things I've been able to do through the game of golf I would definitely take it. I would be so happy. I would be smiling so big.
It's been an incredible journey, and I'm just really grateful that I've been able to do this. I just look forward to continue to try to get better and improve.
Q. I know you took last week off, some others are taking this week off. Is it important to you to play kind of a similar style of golf course that you'll be playing in a major championship before that major?
BROOKE HENDERSON: I do like to play the week before a major, too. This works out because the grasses and the course style are similar which is going to be really helpful.
But do I like to play to kind of get into game shape. I feel like you can practice a lot but there is always things that come up when you're in competition that are slightly different.
So I kind of like to get to that level. Hopefully this will be a good steppingstone for next week.
Q. American Father's Day is on Sunday. I know you share a very deep relationship with your dad, Dave, who is also your coach. How much has he meant to you, to your golf career, to your life really over the years?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Absolutely. I'm so grateful for my dad. Coach, dad, best friend. He's carried a lot of roles through this time. It's pretty cool, too, because I've won this event twice on Father's and also won an Epson event on Father's Day, so I like celebrating him I guess, which is really awesome.
He's just made such a huge difference in my life, but also my golf career.
Q. As you both try to win at place you won before and look ahead to next week's major?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, continue to build. I feel like my game has been coming and trending in the right direction for a while now. So just trying to fine tune on some things we want to improve on. This week feel like there is a lot of good memories and things from the past that we can kind of lean into a little bit and that experience and also just trying to be the best we can.
Q. How is Brit doing? When can we expect Auntie Brooke to make her debut?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I'm so excited for my sister and brother-in-law, Zach. They've been doing is awesome. Hopefully soon. Maybe in the next couple weeks. So I'm definitely looking forward to auntie Brooke.
THE MODERATOR: Awesome. Thank you. Brooke.
BROOKE HENDERSON: Thank you.
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