If you have ever watched an LPGA Tour event, you have undoubtedly been mesmerized by the ball striking of these exceptional golfers.
Jordan Spieth has praised Nelly Korda in the past, saying most players on the PGA Tour were jealous of the American’s momentum.
The same type of observation emerges on the Canadian side. After a practice round ahead of the Grant Thornton Invitational on Wednesday, Brooke Henderson and Corey Conners spoke to a select group of Canadian journalists.
The two will pair up in this tournament bringing together 32 mixed pairs at the Tiburon Golf Club, Florida.
This week will be about fun and preparation for the new season, of course, but it will also be an opportunity to learn.
Conners may be ranked 34th in the world, but the winner of two PGA Tour titles greatly envies his teammate. After all, Henderson has 13 LPGA titles, including 2 majors.
“I’m really interested in learning more about her routine and how she approaches a round of golf,” Conners revealed about the 12th-ranked player in the world.
“Hopefully I can get something out of this that can help me. She has had enormous success on the LPGA Tour. I want to see her work to see if we do things the same way or if it’s different. »
The 31-year-old Ontario native is one of the most consistent hitters in the world. On a tee, it’s a safe bet. He’s not necessarily the most powerful, but his momentum is robotic.
However, he envies the touch of several golfers, including that of Henderson, known in particular for her power and the violence with which she comes into contact with the ball. The 26-year-old had an average distance of 265.48 yards on her tee shots last season, which placed her 24th on the circuit.
For his part, Conners took 92nd place among the men, with an average of 300.6 yards per tee shot.
“The women hit the ball with a lot of pace. They are very consistent between their tee shot and the green. It’s impressive how solid they hit the ball and how beautiful their touches are around the green. They make shots that look easy when they are much more complex than they appear,” Conners explained.
On the other hand, Henderson also finds himself in an enviable position. Conners finished 26th at the last Tour Championship and is still the best Canadian player in the world to this day.
“I love watching my PGA partners,” added the Ontarian. When they train, when they prepare. I always try to learn and improve. »
And although Conners has praised the technique and tempo of her female colleagues, Henderson remains impressed by the power of PGA Tour golfers.
That, and their creativity. “Their ability to attack all kinds of flags. And in fact, the simple fact that they miss very few shots. If they are in a bad situation, they can get out of it very quickly. »
But while waiting to see a Canadian win a major title, development is going rather well among the Canadians.
Many go through the university ranks to develop and the recipe seems to work. Savannah Grewal, Monet Chun and Brigitte Thibault are recent examples.
Moreover, Grewal is on track to be the next to obtain her playing rights on the LPGA. The rise of the former Clemson University student is proof, according to Henderson, that Canadian talent is on the rise. “She’s been playing really well lately. We would take new players on the circuit every week. There were four victories on the PGA Tour by Canadians last year, so we hope that happens for the girls in the coming years. »
Henderson and Conners will not be their first rodeo side by side. They first played together 10 years ago, in another mixed tournament. And they had won.
“Since the announcement of the tournament was made, I wanted to participate, and with Brooke in particular. I have a very strong teammate,” Conners said, looking at his partner.
The two athletes would also like to see the PGA and the LPGA collaborate more often to organize more tournaments of this type.