THE MODERATOR: All right, very pleased to be joined by Brooke Henderson ahead of the 2026 JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro.
Brooke, just first things first. Talk about this week in general. You're a past champion of this event. Maybe not this courses, but still won this event. Talk about the significance of coming back and playing an event you won.
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, absolutely. It's always amazing to come back to a place where you won, and having won here in LA in 2021 I always have a lot of good memories and a lot of good vibes. This championship has just continued to improve every single year.
Walter and Shirley Wang of JM Eagle have done an incredible job of enhancing this event and elevating the women's game, so it's always a fun one to come too.
Last night there was a huge raffle and a lot of prizes were given away to the players. So it's just a really cool event for us.
Q. Talk about this golf course a little bit. Just how the layout is, is it unique maybe to some other courses we play on the LPGA? Does it fit your game?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, for sure. Surprised last year when played and the scores were so low right off the bat. Coming into this year I'm expecting that a little bit more and know that I need to chase some birdies and be aggressive.
The course is in phenomenal shape. It's so green and lush and really beautiful to look at. I feel like that will bring me some peace over next few days. Definitely trying to chase birdies and go low.
Q. Adam shot me a text here, he just wanted to know, Senators went on a good run in January. What have you seen from the team lately and how excited are you for them to be in the playoffs and chase the Stanley Cup?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, it was such a phenomenal round that they did the last couple months to make the push and solidify their spots in the playoffs. It's so exciting. I know all the Ottawa is super proud.
The team are such fighters and knew what they had to do to make the playoffs and were able to do it, so it was pretty cool.
Q. You are a past champion. This is year nine in total of this event being in Los Angeles. The LPGA Tour travels all over the country, small markets, big markets, medium sized markets. When it comes to big markets like in Los Angeles, right, where you guys almost can take center stage, what does it mean to come to big markets like this to showcase and do what you do?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, absolutely. It's really cool to have the ability this week to come to an amazing course like El Cab, and to play in LA in front of new and bigger audiences is really cool for us.
It's LA so it's beautiful and just a great atmosphere and great vibes.
Q. You mentioned about the pro-am party. You unfortunately did not win the raffle. Talk about that pro-am party. There was a lot of excitement with the players, especially the LPGA rookies who won a few of those prizes. Talk about the vibe of the pro-am party last night.
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, it's so different than most weeks out on Tour. A lot of girls were very excited to be there, to be a part of it, mingling with some guests, great food, and then to have the possibility of maybe winning a prize there at the end was really cool.
I think everyone was pretty excited.
Q. This event as you recall from last year, this was the first really outdoor sporting event that took place after the LA fires, right? Walter and Shirley Wang as you mentioned are really elevated this event and are continuing that this year. Let's go back to last year when this tournament got elevated to that stature to help with the LA fires rebuild and looking ahead to this year, what does it mean to you guys as players that it's more than just birdies, pars, and bogeys and try to earn a paycheck?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Absolutely, it's really special for us to have an impact on the community, and what Walter and Shirley Wang are doing on and off the course is really amazing. For us players to be a small part of that really means a lot to us.
Yeah, it's more than just golf. You're helping people and helping communities, and that's really special.
Q. Just prior to you coming in here Aphrodite Deng was in here. She is a sponsor invite. You two had a common bond last year at the Canadian Women's Open. You got your first sponsor invite at the ShopRite when you were an amateur, too. Talk about her getting a sponsor invite this week. Have you guys chatted? Connected, chatted about the course? Just have you guys connected this week?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, saw her on the putting green I believe Monday. She was out there practicing really hard and I was out there, too. I just said hi. I think it's so cool she has a sponsor invite this week. She's been playing amazing golf the past year or so.
I'm really proud of all the success she's had and I'm looking forward to seeing what she's going to do here this week.
Q. Welcome back to LA.
BROOKE HENDERSON: Thank you.
Q. How is your Spanish?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Not very good. Sorry.
Q. You mentioned that you won here before. You've been competing at this level for so many years now, on the top.
BROOKE HENDERSON: Thank you.
Q. What's the key of competing and staying on the top in competing every week in and out? What is the key?
BROOKE HENDERSON: That's a good question. I think I'm still trying to figure it out. I feel like every year the Tour continues to grow stronger, so I'm just trying to grow with it.
Just trying to be a better as a golfer every day and as a person, too. Just make small improvements. I feel like my team has been really great. My dad is my coach. Sister caddied for me up until the past couple months.
They're always on my side helping to push forward and try to improve in small increments.
Q. The decision of your not being your caddie anymore, what was the decision like and how did you take that decision and why did you take it?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, so she's expecting her first child in June, so I'm super excited and really happy for her. Obviously I miss her a lot out on the course, but in off weeks we're still working together back in Florida. She's given me a lot of good advice and is helping out where she can. That has still remained the same.
It is a lot different not traveling with her and having her out there while I'm competing. Again, just like super excited for her and for the family.
Q. Going to be an aunt for the first time?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yes.
Q. That's exciting. Welcome back to LA and good luck this week.
BROOKE HENDERSON: Awesome. Thank you.
Q. With the adjustment of not having your sister out there with you, curious how would you describe the early part of the year has been like for you so far.
BROOKE HENDERSON: I think just really big adjustment. I knew going into it I was going experience that, but I think just learning to handle different things and just make those small changes.
But John has been caddieing for me and has been really nice. He's such an amazing guy is and he has so many connections out here on Tour, so that's been really fun.
Just trying to continue to improve and get better. We had a really good finish in Vegas last week or two weeks ago. That felt really good on such a challenging golf course.
So I feel like the game is right there and I'm looking forward to having some good weeks coming up.
Q. How are you approaching this week knowing we have the season's first major just a week away?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Absolutely, yeah, feel like this is a great test of the game to help prepare for next week in Houston. Looking forward to playing a new golf course next week as well. I feel like this is a great way to make sure the game is in a good spot and fine tune the things that are the weaknesses that I need to before next week.
Q. What are some of those things you're hoping to improve and tweak?
BROOKE HENDERSON: I think the last few months ball striking has definitely been a focus of mine. Just continuing to have that be a little bit more consistent. Then as with major championships, you always need to be really gritty and get up and down when you need to.
So just having that mindset. Here this week I think you can chase a lot of birdies so that's a lot of fun and hopefully see a lot of putts roll in. Trying to carry that forward as much as you can into next week.
Q. How much have you been able to learn about Memorial Park next week, and how much are you familiar with the test it's going to present?
BROOKE HENDERSON: I have to say I will have to do a lot of research this weekend and later this week, but I do think it's really cool that the men played there many times before us. Even just like last month.
So be really cool to watch some of the telecast and broadcast and learn a little bit about it that way. Obviously get there early Monday and try to do some scouting myself.
Q. Just curious, obviously some adjustments inside the ropes without your sister, but what's it been like not having her there for dinners and traveling from point A to B? Just kind of the outside the ropes part; what's that adjustment been like?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, for sure. It's been weird for sure. You know, she's my best friend, and for 11 years we traveled together and were together basically 24/7 except for off weeks.
It's been a big change, but I still talk to her all the time, so that part hasn't changed too much. But, yeah, just adjusting to the new life out on tour, dealing with what most players have dealt with their entire career, so that's kind of interesting to learn more about.
But, yeah, it's been a big adjustment but I feel like it's been going pretty well.
Q. When you go home what are the things she helps you the most with? Where do you spend most of your time together?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, just like at the golf course. We spend a lot of time practicing together. Even playing and just kind of going through some course management things and things that we would do naturally out on Tour. We try to do it more in practice so that I'm better prepared when I come out.
Q. Lastly, John has been doing this for a long time. Is there anything that he does, the way he goes about his business, that has been new and different and helpful to you?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, a lot of it has been different so just like understanding like his approach versus how I've done it for a really long time.
So definitely been lots to learn that way. So kind of back and forth. Just kind of finding the right rhythm and tempo between us.
Q. Just a few fun questions: What's something about your personality that actually you think helps your golf game?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Haven't really thought about that too much.
Q. Focus? Disciplined? Positive?
BROOKE HENDERSON: I guess focus probably would be a good one. I feel like to compete at the highest level you have to be able to narrow in and focus. I feel like I do that pretty well.
Q. And on that note, do you find yourself mentoring any of the young girls or amateurs that play with you?
BROOKE HENDERSON: I haven't stepped into that mentor role yet, but I definitely see it as a possibility down the road.
Earlier this week I did see some of the younger Canadians and was able to play nine holes with Leah. She's awesome. But I haven't really taken that full mentor role yet I wouldn't say.
I enjoy seeing the girls coming up and the generations that are going to follow.
Q. Do you have a pre-round routine, superstition, or something fun that you do the night before, morning of? Listen to music, anything like that?
BROOKE HENDERSON: I try not to be superstitious. I grew up playing as a hockey goalie where I had a lot of superstitions, so I tried to grow out of that as best I could and try to be pretty calm and going with the flow as much as I can. My personality doesn't fit that very much, but just trying to be calm.
But I do try to have an omelet every morning before I compete.
Q. And then last question: What club in your bag are you very confident with right now? Hybrid? Driver? Putting? Irons?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I feel like my driver is in a good spot right now which is really exciting hopefully hit a lot of fairways this week.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports