Canadian teen gets waiver to join LPGA Tour

Brooke Henderson believes the time she spent between the pipes growing up can give her a big assist this week as she tries to become the first Canadian in over 40 years to win Canada’s national women’s golf championship.

Teenage prodigy Brooke Henderson will be able to compete full-time on the LPGA Tour with immediate effect, and on home soil this week.

The 17-year-old became only the third player in history to win an LPGA title before their 18th birthday on Sunday with a remarkable eight-stroke win in Portland.

LPGA policy states that any female 18 years of age or over shall be eligible to apply for membership in the Association’s Tournament Division; however, females between the ages of 15 and 18 may be granted special permission to apply for membership by petitioning directly to the Commissioner of the LPGA.

Back in June, Henderson’s father Bruce had sounded frustrated with the limited schedule his daughter had been forced into and wondered if Whan would accept her petition before her six sponsor exemptions ran out. But there are doubtless other considerations at play, not the least of which is access to the remaining events in the Tour’s 2015 schedule, that counterbalance Henderson’s decision-making equation. “I’ve been playing great all season, my game has been in a great spot”. The $661,234 Henderson has earned this season doesn’t count as official money, meaning that Henderson starts earning officially this week at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. Just to know I have a place to play now any week I want to, and I have full status for at least a year, is really exciting. “I’m still kind of saving it up and hopefully use it wisely”.

“My advice to her is embrace it, enjoy it”, said Kane.

Though Henderson is now an LPGA member, she starts again from zero in terms of official money and points toward the Rolex Rookie of the Year standings.

The win in Portland improved Henderson’s earnings to over $660,000 US and moved her to No. 17 in the world rankings.

She was greeted with a round of applause when she walked onto the driving range at the Vancouver Golf Club on Monday and has been busy signing autographs.

“I think it’s possible”, she said.

Henderson is now an LPGA member, exempt through the rest of this season and 2016 under Category 7, reserved for non-members who win in the prior season.

The past few days have been a whirlwind, but Henderson knows her journey is just beginning. “I am still a long ways from where I want to be”.

“If I can continue to improve and get better every day, hopefully good things will happen”.