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With 11 top-10 finishes in 2018 and placing no worse than 11th in each of the season’s final three majors, Henderson finished the season with more than US $1.4 million in prize money and placed 9th in the world rankings.

“I feel sort of like a veteran, and I’m only 21, which is pretty funny,” Henderson said. “I feel like now I can go into every tournament knowing that I could have a chance to win, which is a great feeling.”

Henderson is hoping to take full advantage of golf’s short off-season to recharge after an emotionally draining year in which she lost both of her grandfathers. In late May, Henderson withdrew from the U.S. Women’s Open after the first round to be with her family following the death of her maternal grandfather Bob Moir. Just over two months later, Henderson was grief-stricken again after the loss of Clem Henderson.

Photo by Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images

“This summer was really tough for myself and my whole family,” Henderson said. “I feel like I did a really good job of not letting the emotions from off the course affect me too much on the course. This rest in the off-season, at least in this little stretch, is really important because I was running on a lot of borrowed energy to try to separate those two things. I think during this off-season it will be good to rebuild my energy, and get me ready for 2019.”

Much of the “borrowed energy” Henderson speaks of came from her sister Brittany, who fills the all-encompassing role as caddie/confidante/roommate. When not on the road together or back home in Smiths Falls, the Henderson sisters share a condo in Florida outside of Naples. Brooke says she has had a lot of great mentors along the way, singling out fellow Canadian golfer Alena Sharp as a trusted friend, but it’s clear that Brittany is leaned upon heavily, especially when the going gets tough.