Canada's Henderson Turns Pro


Brooke Henderson, a 17-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ontario, has turned pro. On Thursday the teenager signed with International Management Group and Ping equipment to make the career move official.

"I'm ready to turn pro," said Henderson, who also notified the University of Florida that she won't be attending school there as scheduled. "It's my dream to play against the best in the world and to be able to compete on the LPGA would be a dream come true. I know it's a long road ahead of me, but I'm excited for it. ... This is the right decision."

Henderson rose to No. 1 in the world amateur golf rankings in September following an exceptional 2014. She was the runner-up in the U.S. Women's Amateur, tied for 10th in the U.S. Women's Open and won the individual title in the Women's World Amateur Team Championship.

At the age of 14 years, nine months and three days, Henderson set a Canadian Women's Tour record in 2012 with a victory, the first of three tournaments she won while competing against professionals as an amateur.

Henderson also won the PGA of Canada women's championship and a qualifying event for the Canadian Pacific Women's Open. She made the cut in that LPGA Tour event at London, Ont., as well as the Kraft Nabisco Championship at Rancho Mirage, Calif., and the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic at Waterloo, Ont.

"Last season was very successful and a big confidence-booster for me in many ways," she said. "Having that great finish (at the U.S. Open) definitely was a point where I could see myself playing in the LPGA Tour, seeing this as a career and taking it to the next step."

Henderson, now a 12th grader, petitioned the LPGA Tour for an age waiver to participate in Q-School this year but was denied. Because Henderson is not an LPGA Tour member, she's limited to six sponsor invitations plus any events for which she qualifies on her own, such as the 2015 Women's U.S. Open at Lancaster, Pa.

"I want to get in as many events as possible," added Henderson, who will focus on LPGA and Symetra tour events.