Brooke Henderson successfully defended her title in the Lotte Championship on Saturday to tie Sandra Post’s record for LPGA Tour victories by a Canadian with eight.

The 21-year-old Henderson closed with a 2-under 70 at windy Ko Olina Golf Club for a four-stroke victory over Eun-Hee Ji.

“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.

“And then 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.”

George Knudson and Mike Weir share the Canadian mark on the PGA Tour, also each winning eight times.

“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 and I have so many great memories pretty much on every hole, which is a great feeling.”

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.

“Pretty bad,” Korda said. “I mean, it was a tough day, but I ended really poorly and I’m pretty disappointed in that. … It was an unfortunate final round, but there is nothing I can do about it anymore.”

Henderson rebounded from a bogey on the par-5 first with birdies on the par-4 third and par-5 fifth, also birdied the par-4 11th and closed with seven straight pars to finish at 16-under 272.

“To come in today tied with the lead with so many amazing players tied with or just back of me, was … I knew it was going to be a tough task with the wind blowing as strong as it was,” Henderson said. “It definitely was really difficult.”

Hometown/Resides: Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada
Birthdate: Sept. 10, 1997; currently 21 years, 7 months and 10 days
Qualified for LPGA Tour: Petitioned and was granted membership by LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan following her win at the 2015 Cambia Portland Classic as a non-member
Turned Professional/Rookie Year: 2014/2015  

VICTORIES

LPGA: Eighth career victory and first of 2019

PREVIOUS LPGA WINS: 2018 LOTTE Championship presented by Hershey, 2017 MCKAYSON New Zealand Women’s Open, 2017 Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, 2016 Cambia Portland Classic, 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, 2015 Cambia Portland Classic

RACE TO CME GLOBE

With her win, Henderson earns 500 points and is projected to move from 20th to fourth in the Race to CME Globe with 909 points

MONEY

With her win, Henderson earns $300,000; she has earned $498,151 this season and $5,300,981 for her career

PREVIOUS LOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

2018 – Win; 2017 – T11; 2016 – T10

2019 IN A NUTSHELL ON THE LPGA

Seven events played, six cuts made, $498,151, one victory, three top-10 finishes and one top-15 finish

OF NOTE

With with eight victories, Henderson joins all-time Canadian golfers Sandra Post, Mike Weir and George Knudson with the most victories by a Canadian player on the LPGA or PGA Tour

With a $300,000 winner’s check, Henderson moves to 60th on the All-Time LPGA Money List with $5,300,981 in career earnings

She is the first Canadian player and the eighth different winner on the LPGA Tour in 2019

Canada is the fifth country to have a 2019 LPGA Tour winner, joining the Republic of Korea (five), France (one), Japan (one) and the United States (one)

Henderson was named the 2017 and 2018 Female Athlete of the Year by the Canadian Press

She represented Canada in the 2016 Rio Olympics, finishing T7