Brooke Henderson ties Canadian record with win at Lotte Championship

Brooke Henderson didn't join the LPGA Tour thinking she would end up amongst the best Canadian golfers of all-time. At least not so soon, anyway.

Sandra Post had eight career victories on the LPGA Tour between 1968 and 1981, while Mike Weir and George Knudson equalled that on the PGA Tour.

"When I was younger it was just a goal to be on the LPGA Tour, to win my first event," Henderson said.

"And when that happened and I won my first major the year after, things kind of just started to fall into place. I knew the record was eight. Just kept creeping toward it the last three years, which was really exciting."

WATCH | Brooke Henderson sets Canadian record with 8th win:

Golf Wrap: Brooke Henderson ties Canadian record with title defence

6 years ago

Duration 2:22

The 21-year-old tied a national record with her 8th career tour win by defending her Lotte Championship title in Hawaii.

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., won last year's event in Hawaii for her sixth Tour victory and followed that up in August 2018 as the first Canadian in 45 years to win the CP Women's Open.

"I think starting last year I sort of saw that it was within my reach if I had two good seasons. Last year put me into great position, and coming back this year it's been on the back of my mind every week that I tee it up. I'm just really happy that I have finally done it.

"Looking forward to overtaking it now."

Fellow Canadian and Olympic teammate Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont., who finished 2 under for 40th place, watched Henderson play out the round and joined her in celebration.

Henderson finished 16 under on Saturday at Ko Olina Golf Club to beat South Korea's Eun-Hee Ji by four strokes.

Nelly Korda, tied with Henderson for the third-round lead, finished with a quadruple-bogey 8 for a 77 that left her seven strokes back at 9 under. She hit into the water twice on 18, then threw her ball in after finishing. The 20-year-old American also had a double bogey on the par-4 seventh.

Ariya Jutanugarn (73) and 2016 winner Minjee Lee (74) tied for third at 11 under.

She looked to be in some trouble on the par-4 16th, but saved par when she hit a put from off the green.

"It's really amazing to even be mentioned in the same sentence as Mike Weir, George, and Sandra," Henderson said. "This week was really special. I always love coming to Hawaii. Last year was such an incredible week for me, to be able to hoist that trophy for the first time. Coming back I knew I knew the golf course really well."

Henderson takes home $300,000 US for the win. Through seven events in 2019, she has made six cuts, has one victory, three top-10 finishes and one top-15 finish for $498,151 total earnings.

Henderson, ranked No. 12 in the world, has one major among her tournament victories, winning the 2016 KPMG Women's PGA Championship after beating Lydia Ko in a playoff when she was only 18.