The stage may be different, but Brooke Henderson’s goal at the first major of the year is the same.
After a couple of disappointing years at majors, the Canadian wants nothing more than to get her campaign off to a solid start.
The Chevron Championship tees off Thursday at a new course in Texas, as after three years at The Club at Carlton Woods it’s moved to Houston's Memorial Park Golf Course, a long-time venue on the PGA Tour that counts Brooks Koepka as a player design consultant.
Henderson has had a curious, if unremarkable, start to her season so far. She opened with a bang, finishing solo third at the rain-shortened Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at the first event of the year, but she hasn’t finished better than T23 since.
The Smiths Falls, Ont., native also missed the cut last week at the JM Eagle LA Championship, where she is a past winner.
Henderson has, however, enjoyed a tidy statistical start. She sits 22nd overall in stokes gained: off the tee and fifth in strokes gained: putting — long her Achilles heel.
Moving forward, she said her ball-striking is going to be the key to unlocking even more success. It’s not yet clicked, as Henderson is 64th in strokes gained: tee to green and 139th in strokes gained: around the green.
“I think the last few months ball striking has definitely been a focus of mine,” Henderson said last week from California. “Just continuing to have that be a little bit more consistent. Then, with major championships, you always need to be really gritty and get up and down when you need to.”
Henderson tied for third at the Chevron Championship in 2024 but finished tied for 44th last year. Her major results in 2025 prompted her to emphasize preparation for the big five events this year. She’s missed the cut at both the U.S. Women’s Open and the AIG Women’s Open in each of the last two years, for example, and has just two top-10s in majors in the last three seasons.
The big question for Henderson as she enters this year’s major-championship stretch is how she’ll manage without sister Brittany alongside her as caddie.
As first reported by Sportsnet.ca in January, Brittany Henderson is expecting her first child with husband Zach Sepanik this summer. Brittany was on the bag for her sister at the Tournament of Champions, but that’s likely the lone event she’ll work in 2026.
The Chevron Championship will be the sixth event for Brooke using veteran caddie John Killeen, who has worked with a handful of the game’s top stars over the last three-plus decades. Even with that kind of resume, it’s been a hearty change of pace for Henderson with her sister at home.
It’s not like they don’t talk — Brittany even went to visit Brooke just a few weeks ago in Arizona — but the week-in, week-out effort on the course and off has taken some getting used to.
“It's been weird for sure. You know, she's my best friend, and for 11 years we travelled together and were together basically 24/7 except for off weeks,” Henderson said of her big sister. “A lot of it has been different; just understanding (Killeen’s) approach versus how I've done it for a really long time. Definitely been lots to learn that way. Kind of back and forth.
“Just kind of finding the right rhythm and tempo between us.”
While Henderson is still working through her new normal, there is one other Canadian in the Chevron Championship field who is making her debut on a major stage.
Seventeen-year-old Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont., is the No. 10-ranked female junior golfer in the world and earned her way into the first major of 2026 after winning The Nelly Invitational presented by Chevron last year. Liu, who is committed to playing collegiate golf at UCLA, is also the reigning Canadian Junior Girls champion.
Liu’s win at The Nelly Invitational did not come easy, as she started the final round a seemingly insurmountable nine shots off the lead. However, she made eight straight birdies at one point in the finale and added another on the first playoff hole to win the event for her fourth AJGA title.
“She hits it long and has height and spin for approach shots that mirrors LPGA players. Creates a lot of chances through good decisions and knowing what to expect from a good shot. Gets deeply engaged with the process and can post birdie after birdie which is a rare skill,” said Golf Canada’s national head of talent identification, Tristan Mullally. “This week is an opportunity to test her game against the course and see where that stacks up against the best in the game.”
Henderson said last week she hasn’t yet fully stepped into a mentor role on the LPGA Tour, although the group coming up fast behind her — including Liu, whom Mullally has worked with since she was just eight, and the trio of Canadians who made the cut at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur two weeks ago — all point to Henderson’s success as a key inspirational part of their own golfing journeys.
While Liu will look to build up her experience, Henderson is eyeing a good result on the board on a big stage — with a new caddie in tow.
“Just trying to continue to improve and get better,” Henderson said. “I feel like the game is right there and I'm looking forward to having some good weeks coming up.”
Chip shots
Mao Saigo of Japan will be defending this week. Saigo won her maiden LPGA Tour title — and major — in an incredible five-way playoff last year… Look for the two hottest golfers in the world to have another good week at the first major of the year. Hannah Green comes to Texas having won the JM Eagle LA Championship Sunday — her fourth worldwide win of 2026. Meanwhile, Nelly Korda has returned to her top-ranked form from 2024 and has started 2026 with four straight top-2 finishes… Memorial Park is a solid golf course that’s hosted the PGA Tour multiple times. The only issue, given the history of the Chevron Championship, is that there is no pond by the 18th hole for the winner to make her customary victory leap. Alas, tournament organizers have built a four-and-a-half feet deep “plunge pool” near the 18th green for this year for the occasion. Designer Tom Doak is set to re-work the finishing hole after this year’s tournament, and it will include a water hazard near the green.
Away from golf, Brooke Henderson has two big things to be cheering about these days. Her long-time boyfriend, professional baseball player in the Minnesota Twins system Ricky Castro, was promoted this month to the St. Paul Saints in Triple-A. And her beloved Ottawa Senators have made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in a decade-and-a-half. “It’s so exciting. I know all of Ottawa is super proud,” Henderson said. The Senators are down 2-0 to the Carolina Hurricanes, but she said it will be “awesome” for them to return home for Game 3 on Thursday.
