Staff WriterThe CPKC Women’s Open got the ending every Canadian golf fan had been praying for, and Brooke Henderson delivered it with the timing of a master illusionist.
The 26-year-old from Smiths Falls birdied three of her last six holes at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club to clinch a one-stroke victory, becoming the first Canadian to win the national championship twice.
With a closing four-under 67, Henderson signed off at 15-under par (269) for the week, edging Minjee Lee by a whisker. The win was her 14th career LPGA triumph and her first since the 2023 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
“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,” Henderson said. “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.”
Henderson Back on Top
For a woman who’s been the face of Canadian golf for a decade, Henderson’s stats from the CPKC Women’s Open tell a story of control and nerve. She led the field with 21 birdies across four rounds, hit 54 greens in regulation, and, perhaps most importantly, refused to fold after bogeys on 10 and 14 threatened to unravel her Sunday.
It was the ninth time in 12 occasions she’s converted a 54-hole lead into victory. She also passed $14 million in career earnings with her $412,500 winner’s cheque, and, in case anyone doubted it, cemented herself further as the winningest Canadian golfer—male or female—in history.
Lee Keeps the Pressure On
Australia’s Minjee Lee pushed Henderson all the way, finishing second at 14-under (270). She carded five birdies and two bogeys in her final-round 69, matching Henderson on holes 2, 13, and 17.
“I think beginning of the day we were three ahead I think, so this golf course is quite demanding,” Lee said. “I didn’t think there was anyone who was going to really jump super ahead … so I felt like it would probably most likely be that, that me and Brooke would be head-to-head. After 9 it seemed like that’s what kind of happened.”
Lee was the only player to shoot all four rounds in the 60s, and with just five bogeys all week, she proved again why she’s one of the Tour’s most consistent ball-strikers.
Saigo Sizzles, Iwai Holds Steady
Japan’s Mao Saigo lit up Sunday with a bogey-free 66—the lowest round of the day—highlighted by five birdies on the back nine. She tied for third at 11-under and left Canada feeling bullish.
“I’m pretty happy with the result, the way I played, but I would have compete in final group in contention, so that’s what I’ve been — what I’m trying to do next few tournaments,” Saigo said.
Her countrywoman Akie Iwai, fresh off her maiden LPGA win in Portland, added a final-round 69 to finish fourth at 10-under.
Notable Performances
- Aphrodite Deng (a): The teenage amateur shot a final-round 73 (+2) to finish T20 and claim low-amateur honours. “Yeah, my golf game is pretty good. It’s not too far behind some of the best players in the world; I just have to keep working hard.”
- Manon de Roey: The Belgian cracked the top-five and admitted, “I know I belong here. I know I deserve my spot to be here.”
- Megan Khang: After a week off, she finished T7 and offered the blunt truth: “Golf is hard. Mistakes will happen.”
- Jeeno Thitikul: Also T7, she praised the venue: “I do love the greens. The greens so hard, the pin position was so hard, too.”
- Sei Young Kim: Took home the Audi Precision Award after hitting 56 greens in regulation, along with $25,000 and a matching charity donation. “Yeah, just means my iron shots are very accurate this week,” she said, in the understatement of the year.
A Canadian Classic
This CPKC Women’s Open will go down as a national sporting moment. Henderson joined the likes of Charles and Albert Murray and Karl Keffer as just the fourth Canadian—male or female—to win their home open twice. And she did it with thousands of fans roaring every shot, every step, every birdie.
She may have joked about celebrating with a can of soda, but in truth, the victory was the sweetest sip Canadian golf has tasted in over a century.
