Brooke Henderson Refocuses on Strong Starts to Reclaim Final-Round Glory

Brooke Henderson Refocuses on Strong Starts to Reclaim Final-Round Glory

Brooke Henderson is no stranger to victory. With 13 LPGA Tour titles under her belt, including a major championship, the Canadian golf phenom has built a reputation as one of the most consistent performers on the tour. But as she enters the 2025 season, Henderson is taking a hard look at one specific area she says could be the difference between good finishes and great ones: her opening rounds.

Despite a solid 2024 season that included nine top-10 finishes, Henderson often found herself climbing from behind after sluggish starts on Thursday and Friday. While her weekend play remained characteristically strong, the early-round deficits too often left her out of reach of the leaders come Sunday.

> “It’s all about momentum,” Henderson said during a preseason media session. “When you’re chasing from day one, there’s just that much more pressure. I know if I can come out strong on Thursday, it sets the tone for the entire tournament.”

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🔹 A Mental Shift for a Fierce Competitor

To address the issue, Henderson and her team—including her father Dave (coach) and sister Brittany (caddie)—have zeroed in on her mental preparation and course strategy. Rather than treating Thursday as a warm-up, she’s approaching it with the same intensity and focus she brings to championship Sundays.

The shift is subtle but strategic: earlier tee-time rehearsals, heightened visualization exercises, and focused breathing techniques before stepping up to the first tee.

> “I’ve always prided myself on staying calm under pressure,” Henderson shared. “But now I’m challenging myself to bring that same fire right from the first hole.”

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🔹 Equipment & Practice Routines Aligned

Brooke’s commitment to a faster start isn’t just mental—it’s practical. Over the offseason, she adopted TaylorMade’s new Qi35 driver and hybrid, adding precision and confidence to her long game. Combined with her switch to contact lenses—improving her putting alignment and depth perception—she’s better equipped to fire early birdies and avoid bogeys.

She’s also restructured her practice sessions, front-loading drills that simulate first-round conditions, such as cold starts, damp fairways, and wind gusts—everything that can catch a player off guard in the early going.

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🔹 Eyes on the Prize

While some golfers wait for momentum to build, Henderson knows she doesn’t have that luxury if she wants to return to the winner’s circle more often.

> “On the LPGA Tour today, the margins are razor thin,” she noted. “You can’t afford to ease into a tournament. You have to be sharp from the first swing.”

And so far, the focus is paying off. In her first three starts of 2025, Henderson has opened with rounds under par each time—landing her in contention by Saturday and reminding fans and competitors alike that she’s still one of the most dangerous closers in golf.

If she continues this trend, final-round Brooke might soon be making more Sunday headlines—but this time, from a front-runner’s position.

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