Brooke Henderson takes 1-shot lead at The Annika on LPGA Tour

BELLEAIR, Fla. — Brooke Henderson was unsettled by the abundance of low scores before she even began her round Thursday on the LPGA Tour. Undeterred, she proceeded to putt for birdie on every hole, delivering an impressive 8-under 62 to grab a 1-stroke lead in The Annika.

Henderson sealed her remarkable start with a long birdie putt on the par-3 ninth hole, securing a front-nine 29 to surpass competitors like Jin Young Ko and Patty Tavatanakit.

“Up until this year, ball-striking has definitely been a strength of mine and hasn’t been as sharp as I would like the last couple months,” said Henderson, who recently switched irons and felt she was progressing in the right direction.

“To hit all 18 greens is more what I used to be used to a little while ago,” the Canadian remarked. “It feels amazing not to have to get up and down and give myself a lot of birdie opportunities.”

Henderson clinched the season opener in Florida but hasn’t secured a victory since, dropping to No. 13 in the women’s world ranking and slipping to No. 14 in the Race to CME Globe.

This marks the final tournament for the top 60 players to qualify for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship down the coast in Naples. However, reaching the championship is not a concern for Henderson or Ko, who holds the No. 5 position with two LPGA victories to her name.

For others who also finished at 63, such as Tavatanakit, a former major champion sitting at No. 61, the stakes are higher. Tavatanakit stated, “I’ve been preparing for this event. Obviously, I knew what I had to do. I’m pretty stressed, but at the same time, I feel like I did everything under my control with no regrets. I’m just going to be out here and know I did everything I could.”

Emily Kristine Pedersen, currently at No. 80, and Minami Katsu of Japan, positioned at No. 78, also ended their rounds at 63. Katsu made a late surge on a beautiful day at Pelican Golf Club, notching five birdies in six holes to climb near the top of the leaderboard.

Meanwhile, Lexi Thompson, competing for the first time since missing the cut by three shots in Las Vegas on the PGA Tour, kicked off with a 64 and was part of a five-way tie for sixth. Thompson has gone over four years without achieving a win, and she’ll likely need to finish third or better to secure a spot in the season finale in Naples.

Defending champion Nelly Korda began with a 70, while Lydia Ko settled for a 67. At No. 101 in the Race to CME Globe, Ko would likely need to secure a solo second-place finish to qualify for the Tour Championship and defend her title.