It’s the start of a new season, but Brooke Henderson is carrying over an injury from the past. The Ontario native walked up to the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions press conference with black tape wrapped over her thumb. The thumb, she reveals, has been a thorn in her side, for the last six years, but it has gotten worse since last season.

It was here at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club last January, that the Canadian star kickstarted her ninth season with a four-shot victory over Charley Hull. The young gun is desperate to give it all in her title defense, but the niggling injury looks to throw a monkey wrench in the works. 

How is Brooke Henderson dealing with her thumb?

The Canadian International reveals that taping her thumb has been a last failsafe measure. “So I’ve been taping it, not consistently, but every so often, trying to strengthen and help it out so that it won’t be as bothersome.” Henderson adds while speaking to the media, “The tape does a good job.” 

However, her last year’s performance paints a different picture. The 26-year-old failed to keep the momentum going after the Lake Nona triumph. Till the Amundi Evian Championship in July, Henderson couldn’t come within the top ten from her 13 outings, missing cuts in four.

For the Canadian Pro, physiotherapy is the only option at the moment. Henderson has been consulting LPGA physios, who are doing a phenomenal job. Asked about the diagnosis, the 13-time LPGA Tour winner admits she isn’t well aware of the technical details, adding, “They’re just trying to do different things to loosen it up and make sure there is not too much stress.”

Brooke Henderson discloses further details claiming the offseason was rather comfortable. It’s the repetitive motions that cause the issues, she adds. Predictably, stepping on the gas ahead of the first competitive outing this season has made it worse, and it will affect her game as well.

How will the thumb injury impact her game?

Brooke Henderson hopes it “won’t be as painful in the future.”  Questioned further on the impact on her game, the 26-year-old admits her long game will suffer the most. During “full swings you feel it more,” the 2022 Amundi Evian Championship winner confesses. 

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Henderson’s average driving distance of 265.475 yards placed her in 24th place on the LPGA Tour. The female circuit’s strongest shooter, Polly Mack, averages around 281.750 yards. Brooke Henderson will tee off at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions on January 18.

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