Canadian Scot Brooke Mackenzie Henderson wins on Symetra Tour, wants LPGA status
BY RANDALL MELL
Brooke Henderson’s quest to play the LPGA full time is right where it ought to be.
It’s in her hands.
That’s LPGA commissioner Mike Whan’s position with a growing legion of her followers believing the 17-year-old Canadian-Scot's victory Sunday on the Symetra Tour is yet more proof she’s ready to play the best tour in the women’s game.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Brooke Henderson is proud of her Scottish roots and often signs herself Brooke Mackenzie Henderson. She is descended from Scots who emigrated to Canada a few generations back.
“The bottom line – as I’ve said to Brooke and I’ve said to her father – more than most players I’ve known, she has her future in her hands,” Whan told GolfChannel.com. “She really does. She can play her way on to the LPGA. She can play her way through Q-School. It’s in her hands.”
With Sunday’s victory, Whan granted Henderson a waiver that allowed her to claim Symetra Tour membership. With that, Whan gives Henderson yet more options to play her way to the LPGA.
Yes, Whan hears Henderson’s supporters pressuring him to rewrite his association’s rules and grant her LPGA membership, but the commissioner believes she is traveling a route that is ultimately best for her and his tour.
Whan’s denial last fall of Henderson’s petition for a waiver of the LPGA’s rule requiring members be at least 18 years old kept her out of Q-School, leading her to turn pro anyway and try to play her way into the LPGA this year through sponsor exemptions and Monday qualifiers. While Whan says he is impressed at how Henderson is performing, he is holding firm to a line he drew for teen phenoms Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson.
“I reviewed Brooke’s resume in the fall of 2014, and from my personal perspective at the time, it wasn’t up to par with the others I have approved,” Whan said.
“Of the two petitions I’ve said yes to, I’ve probably said 60 no’s. I feel it’s kind of like a legal case. I’m going to set precedent. It’s not just her. I’m going to set a line and most people are going to look and compare themselves to that line. That line now is Lydia and Lexi.”
Ko and Thompson are the only players Whan waived the age rule for since he became LPGA commissioner five years ago, allowing them to play the tour as members before they were 18. They both won LPGA events before he granted them waivers. For Whan, a victory is required before he will even consider saying yes to a waiver.
Whan read Henderson’s father’s comments at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, where Dave Henderson urged media to pressure Whan to find a way to grant his daughter tour membership. She tied for fifth at the Women’s PGA, finished third at the Swinging Skirts Classic and tied for 10th at last year’s U.S. Women’s Open.
“Brooke can play,” Dave said. “She can go. That’s what we tell Mike Whan every day. Give us a chance and let us in . . . What more do you want? She is good for golf. She is good for revenues. She brings young people into the game.”
Whan also acknowledges the social media campaign in support of Henderson. He appreciates the excitement she’s generating, but . . .
“When people make the comments they make on social media, they’re talking about a resume they’ve seen the last four or five months,” Whan said.
“To her credit, she’s building a resume that’s nowhere near where it was when she petitioned me last fall.”
The truth is, Henderson’s future really is more in her hands than the commissioner’s.
Even if Whan granted Henderson a waiver of the tour’s age restriction today, it wouldn’t come with LPGA membership privileges. The LPGA doesn’t have the special temporary membership rule that the US PGA Tour has.
Even with an age waiver, Henderson still has to qualify under one of 20 LPGA priority list categories that grant a player access to the tour. Ko and Thompson used their waivers to claim membership via category 7 (non-member win). Henderson doesn’t yet qualify for tour access via any category. She would need the LPGA to change its rules to somehow grant her instant membership.
Henderson gave herself two more routes for getting to the LPGA with Sunday’s Symetra Tour victory.
Brooke Henderson’s quest to play the LPGA full time is right where it ought to be.
It’s in her hands.
That’s LPGA commissioner Mike Whan’s position with a growing legion of her followers believing the 17-year-old Canadian-Scot's victory Sunday on the Symetra Tour is yet more proof she’s ready to play the best tour in the women’s game.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Brooke Henderson is proud of her Scottish roots and often signs herself Brooke Mackenzie Henderson. She is descended from Scots who emigrated to Canada a few generations back.
“The bottom line – as I’ve said to Brooke and I’ve said to her father – more than most players I’ve known, she has her future in her hands,” Whan told GolfChannel.com. “She really does. She can play her way on to the LPGA. She can play her way through Q-School. It’s in her hands.”
With Sunday’s victory, Whan granted Henderson a waiver that allowed her to claim Symetra Tour membership. With that, Whan gives Henderson yet more options to play her way to the LPGA.
Yes, Whan hears Henderson’s supporters pressuring him to rewrite his association’s rules and grant her LPGA membership, but the commissioner believes she is traveling a route that is ultimately best for her and his tour.
Whan’s denial last fall of Henderson’s petition for a waiver of the LPGA’s rule requiring members be at least 18 years old kept her out of Q-School, leading her to turn pro anyway and try to play her way into the LPGA this year through sponsor exemptions and Monday qualifiers. While Whan says he is impressed at how Henderson is performing, he is holding firm to a line he drew for teen phenoms Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson.
“I reviewed Brooke’s resume in the fall of 2014, and from my personal perspective at the time, it wasn’t up to par with the others I have approved,” Whan said.
“Of the two petitions I’ve said yes to, I’ve probably said 60 no’s. I feel it’s kind of like a legal case. I’m going to set precedent. It’s not just her. I’m going to set a line and most people are going to look and compare themselves to that line. That line now is Lydia and Lexi.”
Ko and Thompson are the only players Whan waived the age rule for since he became LPGA commissioner five years ago, allowing them to play the tour as members before they were 18. They both won LPGA events before he granted them waivers. For Whan, a victory is required before he will even consider saying yes to a waiver.
Whan read Henderson’s father’s comments at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, where Dave Henderson urged media to pressure Whan to find a way to grant his daughter tour membership. She tied for fifth at the Women’s PGA, finished third at the Swinging Skirts Classic and tied for 10th at last year’s U.S. Women’s Open.
“Brooke can play,” Dave said. “She can go. That’s what we tell Mike Whan every day. Give us a chance and let us in . . . What more do you want? She is good for golf. She is good for revenues. She brings young people into the game.”
Whan also acknowledges the social media campaign in support of Henderson. He appreciates the excitement she’s generating, but . . .
“When people make the comments they make on social media, they’re talking about a resume they’ve seen the last four or five months,” Whan said.
“To her credit, she’s building a resume that’s nowhere near where it was when she petitioned me last fall.”
The truth is, Henderson’s future really is more in her hands than the commissioner’s.
Even if Whan granted Henderson a waiver of the tour’s age restriction today, it wouldn’t come with LPGA membership privileges. The LPGA doesn’t have the special temporary membership rule that the US PGA Tour has.
Even with an age waiver, Henderson still has to qualify under one of 20 LPGA priority list categories that grant a player access to the tour. Ko and Thompson used their waivers to claim membership via category 7 (non-member win). Henderson doesn’t yet qualify for tour access via any category. She would need the LPGA to change its rules to somehow grant her instant membership.
Henderson gave herself two more routes for getting to the LPGA with Sunday’s Symetra Tour victory.
Labels: Pro Ladies
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 8:26:00 am
<< Home