Brooke Henderson faces stiff competition as she looks to defend major title
New No. 1 So Yeon Ryu is hottest golfer on LPGA Tour
The newly minted world No. 1 in women's golf has her eyes set squarely on Canadian Brooke Henderson's KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
Henderson, from Smith Falls, Ont., won her first major last June at the Sahalee Country Club in Washington. She struggled early this season but captured her first victory of the year at the Meijer Classic two weeks ago.
But So Yeon Ryu, wants to halt what has resembled a game of musical chairs on the LPGA Tour this season.
Ryu took over the top ranking on Monday and will be going for her third win of the season when the second major of the season tees off Thursday on her 27th birthday. She comes in off a dominating win last week in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, which made her the first repeat winner in 16 events this season.
Henderson played Olympia's South Course in the U.S. Junior and ruled out "super-low scoring" if the strong wind and rain predicted for the week materialize. That could also strengthen a bid by long-hitting Ariya Jutanugarn, who slipped to No. 2 after Ryu's win.
Ryu won the ANA Inspiration in April for her second major title after front-running Lexi Thompson was tripped up by a four-shot penalty. Ryu beat Thompson on the first hole of sudden death.
Including the KPMG, the women's tour will play three majors in weeks, giving Ryu the chance to prove her climb to the top is just the beginning of a long reign.
When a reporter asked this week whether her ambitions included sweeping the five majors this year, she quickly, but gently corrected him.
"Actually, career Grand Slam," chuckled Ryu, who already owns a U.S. Women's Open title. "I haven't thought about the season Grand Slam.
"But if I can do it," she added a moment later, brightening, "that's going to be fantastic."
with files from CBC Sports