Full Press Conference After Brooke's Final Round

THE MODERATOR: All right, we will kick things off here. Hello and welcome to the media center at the 2025 CPKC Women's Open. Joined by 2025 champion Brooke Henderson. I'll ask a couple questions and then we'll open it up here in the media center and then move to the Zoom.

First of all, congratulations.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Thank you.

Q. Can we just open up by starting to ask you what did this mean, this week as a whole?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, this week was beyond special. To be able to finish it off and hoist the trophy again is extremely cool. It feels super surreal still. When I won in 2018 I woke up Monday morning thinking I still had to play the final round, so I'm wondering if that nightmare will happen again tomorrow.

It was such a meaningful week. The crowds were phenomenal. To be able to play so well in front of them really means a lot to me, too, and I just am so grateful for all their support.

Q. I just watched you on the trophy ceremony. The National Anthem was playing; family and friends were around you; fans were looking on. Could you describe that moment and when it felt like?

BROOKE HENDERSON: For sure, to see the Canadian flags up and hear the National Anthem, to be able to sing the National Anthem after winning my national Open is just so cool. Like I said, surreal.

It's been an amazing week. This year has not gone very well up to this point, and it just feels like this was meant to be. I felt like I got a lot of breaks out there today and this week, and I just felt like, yeah, it was meant to be.

I'm just so happy this I can finally hold this trophy again.

Q. How does this compare to your other 13 victories?

BROOKE HENDERSON: This one I think might be the longest in between victories, so for that reason it makes it super special. To be able to win the Canadian Open, the CPKC Women's Open for the second time is so special.

So it's like right up there near the top. I've always said that the 2018 win here was like a huge career highlight, and so to be able to do it again is such a bonus and definitely a huge career highlight again.

Q. How will you celebrate?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Honestly I don't know, but it's like so cool that I was able to celebrate with thousands of fans and family and friends. I'm just like super excited that this actually happened. It's like a dream come true again, and I mean, I don't know what I'm doing next but I might have a pop. I haven't had pop in like years.

I might have one. (Laughter.)

Q. Brooke, was there any time along this period where you haven't won and hadn't played all that great where you fell into doubt?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Absolutely. I think it's -- I think any person would have. I mean, I definitely did. There were some dark times for sure. I feel like my family was so supportive and just said to like keep going, just keep working hard, it'll come around.

Like I've been telling everybody for like a long time, it's close, it's close, it's close. To finally break through again is just so exciting. I'm excited for the rest of the season. I'm excited for what's coming next. I'm super pumped International Crown, and with this win I think I'll guarantee my spot into the CME, which was a little bit in jeopardy before this. So that's super exciting as well.

And I mean, I'm just grateful. I thank God for allowing me to be back in this position, the strength and the courage to be able to perform at the top level again, and just everything that He has blessed me with.

Q. When you were talking to Karen you mentioned you were surprised that you weren't crying. Why do you think that was?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Honestly I'm surprised I'm not crying right now because it just means so much. It's just like a little bit surreal I think. I just like knew today was going to be so tough, and I just tried to keep fighting through the end and so I think I'm just still a little bit like in the battle even though it's over. I'm still ready to like keep fighting.

So maybe that's why. But I did tear up a little bit during the speech and a little bit just before I talked to Karen. But surprised I wasn't bawling like I was in 2018.

Q. You talked about things being meant to be. I don't know if you know this but when you won in 2018 that was Ryan Paul's first time as tournament director, and now this year you won again and it's Claire's first time as tournament director. Do you believe in fate?

BROOKE HENDERSON: I find that very interesting. Ryan told me that not too long ago, 10 or 15 minutes ago and I think that's pretty cool. And the Toonie they put in the cup today, too, that's super cool.

So I think, yeah, everything was just meant to be this week.

Q. So can you tell us a little bit about what you liked about this course? In general you seem to do really well on traditional golf courses. Wondering why.

BROOKE HENDERSON: I love traditional golf courses. I love tree-lined courses. Being pretty close to home it was very similar to a lot of courses I grew up playing on, so just very comfortable that way.

But this course was beautiful and it was in like perfect condition. There was a lot of hard work that went into that and I'm really grateful that everybody did it. I'm just happy that this course kind of fit my eye. And, yeah, I'm just like I can't believe I actually just won. That's really cool. (Smiling.)

Q. Brooke, I asked you on Tuesday what you thought your 14-year-old-self would say. Do you think you channeled a little bit of her this week?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I think I did actually. Watching those clips early in the week I think that was a really good thing to do. Feel like to just put me in a really good frame of mind and connected me to how I was when I was younger and performing really well.

I mean, my 14-year-old-self I was very nervous that week, but even though I didn't make the cut I still had a lot of the success playing in my first LPGA tournament. Yeah, just looking back overall those clips over the years I feel like I gained a lot.

It was a good way to bring peace, too. So I'm happy that I chose to do that on Monday after my red eye flight. Yeah, happy about it.

Q. Just curious on No. 12 when you're going for it in two. What was going through your mind off hit the shot and after you saw where it ended up?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I was so grateful. That was another big break, huge break to be able to hit that tree, bounce back into the first cut. Wasn't the best lie in the first cut but I was like oh, this is amazing.

After that I was like, okay, I think this might actually be mine to win. That was a huge break and I just tried to capitalize on it and was able to play well after that.

Q. I noticed As Minjee was taking her putt you looked away and took a deep breath. What was going through your mind?

BROOKE HENDERSON: For sure. I mean, Minjee, I love playing with Minjee. She's a great friend and she is a really tough competitor. I knew today was going to be really tough playing with her.

She also has an amazing presence on the course that was really calming and relaxing, so I feel like it was a great pairing for me to have that kind of peace and calmness.

Yeah, I knew at any time she could make eagle there and then the next hole I was like expecting her almost to chip in, because she's the best chipper I've ever seen, for eagle on 13.

I knew at any time she could go on a run so I was just trying to stay a little bit ahead.

Q. I think by my count you hit three trees today.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Is that right?

Q. Did you sense that it might be your day if you could make par after hitting all three of those trees?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, true, I didn't think about that. I did hit three trees and big branches that fell. Yeah, 9 I wasn't really concerned about that tree until after I hit it. I was like, oh, I guess it was in play. But to make par there was huge.

I feel like that really kept the momentum going. That was a really clutch par save.

And then I guess 16 was the other one which I didn't even know that tree was there, so that was new information.

And then 12 I guess is the other one. That one I'm just really grateful for.

Q. As you're overlooking your putt on 14, you seem to take a lot of time just looking at it. I don't know if you were saying, this is the most important, this could be the game-changing putt right here because where she had hit it and struggled from?

BROOKE HENDERSON: I knew that was an important one. All day I was trying to get to minus-16 because I thought that could maybe get the job done or at least be really happy if I got it to 16 and didn't win, at least I put in a good effort.

I knew that was a good birdie opportunity so I wanted it capitalize on it. Unfortunately I fell one short of my goal of 16 but it was good enough.

Q. You touched on this a little bit, but how much pressure did Minjee but on you all day?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, on the second hole, dropping that long birdie putt and I was inside of her and I was oh, okay, this is how it's going to be. I was really happy to be able to make that putt on top of her and keep it even.

The rest of the day felt like we were just back and forth most of the time. When she made that putt on 17 it was like I was really impressed. Part of me knew she was probably going to make it and knew I had to make that putt either way.

Q. You obviously still have years left in your career, but how much do you think about your legacy? And if so, how much does this win impact that legacy?

BROOKE HENDERSON: I think this was a huge win for Canada and Canadian golf, so I'm really proud to be able to hoist this trophy again. Yeah, I'm really proud to have a 14th win and two in Canada. I think that's really cool.

Q. Just wondering in general about the putter. Putter switch this week. You were very clutch with it throughout the week. How did that feel? And I assume it's staying in the bag for the next little while.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, for sure. I'm really happy that I made that switch on Tuesday -- Wednesday actually I think I started putting with it. It was very similar to the putter I was using last week in terms of like the style, but the weight was much lighter and the grip was more of like a traditional grip. Last week I feel like I putted pretty well but I wanted it be able to swing my hands a little bit more.

So making those changes made that so much easier. The putter actually felt good, so that's a really good feeling for me. It's not always the case. So, yeah, I'm excited for the rest of the season.

Q. Wondering the pressure that you probably felt to win again. Did you feel it was more pressure from the outside or was it more from within yourself and why?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I mean, a little bit of both. I do think that winning in 2018 did relieve a lot of pressure that I had and even hearing it on the first tee every day, I was like, yeah, everybody knows I can do this. I feel like that was -- the pressure was kind of off that way a little bit.

Obviously I really wanted to perform well here in Canada for the people, all the Canadians, and all the fans watching and supporting, and also for myself and my team. I just wanted to be at my best, and so I'm just really grateful that this week went as well as it did.

Yeah, just like another dream come true to be able to hoists this trophy again.

Q. I know the situations are totally different because you won 14 times, but Tommy Fleetwood won today. Can you speak to him winning after the expectations that he had and how close he had come so many times and if he's an inspiration? Do you feel akin to what he might have been going through?

BROOKE HENDERSON: For sure. I think Tommy is amazing and I'm so happy for him to be able to win today in such a huge tournament. I feel like he saved it for the perfect time. But that's so cool. He really deserved it and especially like after earlier this year when it looked like he was going to win and didn't, I feel like it was all setting up for his moment today.

Q. And then obviously 23 different winners. We keep making a big dealing of it, but it keeps happening. Your thoughts on this just kind of streak to start the season, most in history without somebody winning a multiple event and why that's maybe happened?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Oh, yeah, I didn't even know that. That's crazy. Yeah, that's amazing. I mean, I think the strength. Tour just continues to get stronger and stronger from players all around the world, too. There is more country flags and more players from different countries coming out.

So I think it just shows how strong it is and how difficult it is to win. Everything has to line up like perfectly to be able to win out here on Tour. I'm just happy that I could be one of those 23.

Q. When you were talking about a pop, you're meaning a soda pop?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, soda.

Q. If you haven't had one in years what's going to be your soda pop of choice?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Either Sprite or Fanta orange. Those things are good. Maybe both. (Smiling.)

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for joining us so much everybody. Appreciate it.

BROOKE HENDERSON: Thank you.

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