Jun 21, 2025; Frisco, Texas, USA; Brooke Henderson walks from the second tee during the third round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Jun 21, 2025; Frisco, Texas, USA; Brooke Henderson walks from the second tee during the third round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Canadian professional golfer Brooke Henderson returns to the site of her 2022 victory this week with gratitude for the mentor who shaped her career. As she prepares for the 2026 ShopRite LPGA Classic, the golfer credits a veteran for laying the foundation for her LPGA career.
Henderson debuted at Galloway in 2015 via a crucial sponsor exemption. She achieved three top-10 results and three top-25 results at the same venue in the later outings. During that pivotal 2015 debut week, Henderson relied heavily on fellow Canadian player Alena Sharp.
"So she was somebody that I really leaned on a lot and she really taught me a lot about life on Tour, kind of how to handle yourself and how to prepare for an event."
LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 05: LPGA, Golf Damen golfer Brooke Henderson plays her second shot on the 14th hole during the final round of the Aramco Championship on April 5, 2026, at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire GOLF: APR 05 LPGA Aramco Championship EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon26040595
LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 05: LPGA, Golf Damen golfer Brooke Henderson plays her second shot on the 14th hole during the final round of the Aramco Championship on April 5, 2026, at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire GOLF: APR 05 LPGA Aramco Championship EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon26040595
"In 2015, I played a lot of practice rounds with Alena Sharp. She was and continues to be a great mentor for me and a great friend."
Alena Sharp is an active LPGA golfer with two Epson Tour wins, two Canadian Women's Tour wins, and four West Coast Ladies Golf Tour wins under her belt. So her word was gospel for Henderson back then.
Sharp taught Henderson how to handle herself under pressure and prepare effectively for tournament fields. This early guidance set the stage for Henderson's rise, yielding 14 LPGA titles and $15.9 million in career earnings (per Spotrac) until now.
Winning this 54-hole tourney in 2022 turned out to be a launching pad for her summer season.
She managed to carry the momentum forward to win a second major championship at the Amundi Evian Championship just one month later.
Capitalizing on Course Familiarity and Strategic Adjustments
Now back for the 38th iteration of the tournament, Henderson uses a wealth of information from a decade of combined course data. She is familiar with the intricacies of Seaview because she has played the venue every year since 2015.
However, recent rainfalls have made the New Jersey course softer, thus creating chances for good scores. Yet, competitors will still need to cope with difficult wind conditions.
The shortened three-day tournament allows for no early mistakes, demanding an aggressive start on Friday. Henderson explained the urgency of making birdies.
"You don't really have time to be slow or to make too many mistakes."
Henderson started the 2026 season well with a third-place finish at Orlando. Since then, however, she has failed to replicate her form, with her T23 finish at the Aramco Championship being the best outing after that.
She hopes to put an end to her poor finishes at Seaview.
"So it was a great start. Has been a little bit slow since then, but hopefully it'll be a good summer starting with this event here."
People are looking forward to seeing how her familiarity with the field contributes to a new victory this weekend at Seaview.
Do you think Brooke Henderson will be able to recreate her 2022 victory at the 2026 ShopRite LPGA Classic? Let us know in the comments.
Trending slideshow: The Greatest Names in Women’s Golf Inside the LPGA Hall of Fame
Aditi Singh
The Greatest Names in Women’s Golf Inside the LPGA Hall of FameThe LPGA Hall of Fame includes players and founders who shaped women’s golf across different generations. From major champions and Olympic medalists to early LPGA founders, these names helped build the tour, set records, and influenced the global growth of the women’s game through competition, leadership, and long-term impact. Mark Newcombe/Imago/Visions In GolfLydia Ko became the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history at age 15 before building one of the strongest careers of her era. The New Zealand golfer won multiple majors, Olympic medals, and more than 20 LPGA titles before earning Hall of Fame qualification after winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire GOLF/ImagoLorena Ochoa spent 158 consecutive weeks as World No. 1 and finished her LPGA career with 27 victories and two major championships. The Mexican golfer retired in 2010 at the peak of her career and later entered both the World Golf Hall of Fame and LPGA Hall of Fame. Aflo Sport/ImagoAlice Bauer was one of the original founders of the LPGA Tour in 1950 and remained involved during the league’s early years. Although she never recorded an LPGA victory, she produced several strong finishes, including fourth place at the 1958 U.S. Women’s Open, and later received recognition for her contribution to the tour. South Dakota Sports Hall of FameOpal Hill started playing golf in her thirties and later became one of the leading amateur golfers of her generation. She won multiple Women’s Western Amateur titles before capturing two Women’s Western Opens and eventually joining the LPGA Tour founders group in 1950. PosterazziSally Sessions earned recognition as an amateur after finishing runner-up at the 1947 U.S. Women’s Open and becoming the first woman to shoot under par at Pinehurst Country Club. Illness shortened her playing career, but she still remained involved as one of the LPGA Tour’s first treasurers. via Michigan Golf Hall of FameInbee Park built one of the strongest major championship records in modern women’s golf with seven major titles and an Olympic gold medal. The South Korean golfer became the youngest player to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame and also spent more than 100 weeks ranked World No. 1. via Bildbyran/ImagoSe Ri Pak changed the landscape of women’s golf in South Korea after winning two major championships during her rookie LPGA season in 1998. She finished her LPGA career with 25 victories and became an influential figure for future generations of Korean golfers entering the tour. Javier Rojas/ZUMA Press Wire/ImagoKarrie Webb collected 41 LPGA Tour victories and completed the Super Career Grand Slam during her career. The Australian golfer won major championships across multiple eras and became one of the Tour’s highest earners before entering both the LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame in 2005. Mark Newcombe/Visions In Golf/ImagoAnnika Sorenstam finished her LPGA career with 72 victories and 10 major championships. She became the first woman in decades to compete in a PGA Tour event and remains the only LPGA player to win the money title, Player of the Year, and Vare Trophy in five seasons. Romeo Guzman/ZUMA Press Wire/ImagoJuli Inkster won seven major championships and completed the women’s career Grand Slam during her LPGA career. She also played a major role in the Solheim Cup as both a player and captain, helping the United States across multiple decades of competition. Randy Tobias/Wichita Eagle/ImagoBeth Daniel earned 33 LPGA Tour victories after a successful amateur and college career at Furman University. Her 2003 Canadian Women’s Open win made her the oldest winner in LPGA Tour history at the time, extending a career that included multiple Player of the Year honors. Mark Newcombe/Visions In Golf/ImagoJudy Rankin recorded 26 LPGA Tour victories and became the first player to earn more than $100,000 in a single season. Although she never won a major championship, her consistency earned Player of the Year honors, Vare Trophies, and a long broadcasting career afterward. Julius Baum/Avalon.red/ImagoAmy Alcott won 29 LPGA Tour titles and became closely linked with the Chevron Championship after winning the event three times. Her jump into Poppie’s Pond created a tradition that later champions continued, while her Hall of Fame career also included five major victories. Imago/Icon SMIBetsy King captured 34 LPGA Tour victories and six major championships during a career that peaked in the late 1980s and 1990s. Beyond golf, she later focused on charity work through Golf Fore Africa, supporting clean water projects across rural communities on the continent. Mark Newcombe/Visions In Golf/ImagoDinah Shore entered the LPGA Hall of Fame for her role in supporting women’s golf and helping establish one of the Tour’s major championships. Her partnership in creating the event that became the Chevron Championship connected entertainment and professional golf for several decades. via Everett Collection/ImagoPatty Sheehan won 35 LPGA Tour events and six major championships after a decorated amateur and collegiate career. She later became part of multiple Solheim Cup teams as both player and captain, while her final LPGA victory came at the 1996 Chevron Championship. Mark Newcombe/Visions In Golf/ImagoPat Bradley won 31 LPGA Tour titles and captured three of the four major championships during the 1986 season alone, bringing her career major total to six. After being diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 1988, she returned to add more victories and later led the United States team as captain at the 2000 Solheim Cup. Icon Sportswire/ImagoNancy Lopez transformed women’s golf during her rookie LPGA season in 1978 by winning nine tournaments and sweeping Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year, and Vare Trophy honors. She finished her career with 48 LPGA victories and remained one of the Tour’s most recognized figures. St. Petersburg Times/ZUMA Press Wire/ImagoJoAnne Carner won 43 LPGA Tour titles and became the only woman to win the U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Women’s Amateur, and U.S. Women’s Open during her career. Decades later, she continued setting longevity records in professional and USGA championship competition. Angela Gottschalk / The Seattle TimesKathy Whitworth holds the record for most professional golf victories with 88 LPGA Tour wins. She also became the first female golfer to surpass $1 million in career earnings and played a major role in LPGA leadership and the early years of the Solheim Cup. Mark Newcombe/Visions In Golf/ImagoMickey Wright won 82 LPGA Tour titles and 13 major championships during a career that included some of the Tour’s most dominant seasons. She remains the tournament's only four-time champion and completed her career Grand Slam in 1962. Mark Newcombe/ImagoBabe Didrikson Zaharias moved from Olympic track and field success into golf before becoming one of the LPGA Tour’s founding members in 1950. She won 10 major championships, completed the career Grand Slam of her era, and helped establish women’s professional golf in America. Mark Newcombe via Imago/ Visions In GolfBetty Jameson won the U.S. Women’s Open in 1947 and later became one of the LPGA Tour founders in 1950. She also created the idea for the Vare Trophy, which continues to recognize the player with the Tour’s lowest scoring average each season. LPGA/Facebook
