Support for Brooke Henderson is just a Tour away in old travel buddy Corey Conners

BROOKLINE, Mass. When Corey Conners and Brooke Henderson were on Golf Canada’s national team together, Conners, who is five years older, had a special role.

“Going to a few events with her and I was her ‘travel guardian,’” Conners told the Star with a laugh. “I was 17 or 18 and would text her mom to say that we landed or that we arrived at a tournament.”

Conners, who is teeing it up this week at the U.S. Open, was quick to heap praise on Henderson Sunday night after she won for the 11th time on the LPGA Tour. She defeated Lindsay Weaver-Wright in a playoff at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

The pair has come a long way since Conners, now 30, had to make sure Henderson, now 24, was going to the right place and always had her bags.

“I’m blown away,” Conners said on Sunday at the RBC Canadian Open where he finished as low Canadian. “She’s incredibly talented. Eleven wins on the LPGA Tour is so amazing. And I’m sure she’s far from done with that.”

Henderson headed from her win in Galloway, N.J. to Grand Rapids, Mich. for this week’s Meijer LPGA Classic. It’s a tournament she’s had a ton of success at – winning in both 2017 and 2019. Her triumph three years ago was her ninth LPGA Tour title, making her the winningest Canadian on the LPGA or PGA Tour in history.

Henderson saw what Conners said about her win Sunday and was happy to get such a nice compliment. While she is Canada’s top-ranked golfer at No.8 in the world, Conners is tops on the men’s side at No.30.

“That was very nice of him,” said Henderson with a big smile. “Fantastic player and great guy. We played on the national team for a couple of years and last year (at the Olympics) too, which was pretty cool.”

In an ironic twist, Henderson’s victory came when most of the Canadian golfing public were locked into the finale of the first Canadian Open since 2019, won by Rory McIlroy.

Henderson didn’t mind, though.

“It was pretty cool timing that it was (the same day as the) RBC Canadian Open because I knew everybody was pretty fired up to be able to go out and watch golf again up there. It’s been a long time,” said Henderson. “They were excited about that, and then to have my win be the same weekend, I think it just makes everyone a little more excited.”

Count Conners, and most of the Canadian contingent at the U.S. Open this week, as part of the group that was backing Brooke.

Conners played a practice round Tuesday at The Country Club with countrymen Nick Taylor, Adam Hadwin and Mackenzie Hughes. He’s one of six Canadians in the field this week at the third major of the year on the PGA Tour.

He said Tuesday the foursome “certainly talk about” Henderson’s achievements.

“We’re all so pumped up for her,” said Conners. “It’s really incredible what she’s been able to do.”

And Henderson, for this week’s U.S. Open, will be keeping an eye on her old friend and travel buddy.

“Just a great guy,” she said again. “And I’ll be cheering for him this week.”

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