In a country where hockey reigns supreme and winter sports dominate headlines, Brooke Henderson has carved out a special place in Canadian hearts as one of the most successful and beloved athletes of her generation. Born on September 10, 1997, in Smiths Falls, Ontario—a small town of fewer than 9,000 people—the unassuming golfer has risen to global stardom while never forgetting her roots. With her trademark smile, relentless work ethic, and a swing that has toppled giants on the LPGA Tour, Henderson has become a symbol of Canadian excellence and humility.
From Small-Town Prodigy to Professional Phenom
Golf came early to Brooke. Introduced to the game by her father, Dave, who doubled as her first coach, she was swinging clubs almost before she could spell her name. By age 11, she was already winning junior tournaments. At 14, she became the youngest player ever to win the Canadian Women’s Amateur. A year later, in 2012, she won the Canadian Women’s Tour event as an amateur—beating seasoned professionals while still in high school.
Turning pro at 17 in 2014, Henderson wasted no time announcing herself to the world. In 2015, she won her first LPGA event, the Cambia Portland Classic, becoming the third-youngest winner in tour history and the first Canadian to claim an LPGA title in over a decade. A year later, in 2016, she captured her first major—the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship—at age 18, making her the second-youngest major winner in women’s golf and the first Canadian woman to win a major in 48 years (since Sandra Post in 1968).
That breakthrough moment sparked nationwide euphoria. Canadians, long starved for golfing heroes in the post-Mike Weir era, embraced Henderson with open arms.
A Decorated Career That Keeps Growing
As of late 2025, Henderson has amassed 14 LPGA victories—one of the highest totals ever for a Canadian athlete in any professional sport. Two of those are majors: the 2016 Women’s PGA and the 2018 Evian Championship (upgraded to major status). She has also won her national open, the CP Women’s Open, twice (2018 in Regina and again in 2024), each time in front of raucous, flag-waving home crowds that treated the tournament like a national holiday.
Her consistency is remarkable. She has never finished lower than 19th on the LPGA money list in a full season and has spent extended stretches inside the world top 10. In 2022, she became the winningest Canadian professional golfer in history—male or female—surpassing Mike Weir and Sandra Post with her 11th, 12th, and 13th victories in a single season.
Why Canada Adores Her
In a nation that often celebrates humility as much as achievement, Brooke Henderson is the perfect ambassador. She still lives in Smiths Falls part-time. She travels with her older sister Brittany as her caddie—a partnership that has become one of the most endearing sibling stories in sport. She signs every autograph, thanks volunteers by name, and speaks with a soft-spoken politeness that feels distinctly Canadian.
When she won in Regina in 2018, an emotional Henderson told the crowd, “You guys have supported me since I was a little girl playing junior tournaments. This one’s for Canada.” The galleries—dressed in red and white, waving Maple Leaf flags, chanting “Brooke! Brooke! Brooke!”—responded with tears and roars that shook the prairies.
Politicians line up to praise her. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called her “an inspiration to a generation of young Canadians.” When she won the Evian in 2018, the CN Tower lit up red and white. Tim Hortons ran special “Brooke’s Brew” promotions. Schools in Ontario named golf programs after her. In a 2023 Sportsnet poll, she was voted Canada’s third-most popular active athlete behind only Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby—extraordinary for a golfer in a hockey-mad country.
Even during leaner stretches, the support never wavers. Canadian fans understand the grind of professional golf and appreciate that Henderson competes with joy rather than entitlement. She plays with a perpetual smile, fist-pumps with genuine excitement, and credits her team after every round. In an era when some stars seem distant, Brooke feels like the kid next door who happened to become one of the best golfers on the planet.
Still Writing the Story
At just 28 years old, Henderson shows no signs of slowing down. She continues to chase that elusive third major, more LPGA wins, and perhaps one day the career record for most victories by a Canadian. Every time she tees it up at the CPKC Women’s Open, the entire country stops to watch, hoping to witness the next chapter of a career that has already exceeded even the wildest small-town dreams.
Brooke Henderson didn’t just put Canadian women’s golf back on the map—she drew a giant Maple Leaf right in the center of it. And for as long as she keeps swinging, Canada will keep cheering louder than anywhere else in the world.
