Two-time Meijer LPGA Classic winner and defending champion Brooke Henderson loves coming to Blythefield County Club.
"I just feel at home when I come here," Henderson said after her practice round on Tuesday. "The weather, the trees, it reminds me of home up in Canada. The friends that we have made here, it is just a wonderful place to be and hopefully we can make some more great memories this week."
Having success this week might be a little more difficult than in years past.
For the first time since February of 2016, Brooke's sister Brittany will not be her caddie.
Brittany's work visa has expired and while she awaits new immigration status, she can be in the country and is at the course with Brooke, but cannot work.
So Brooke will have veteran caddie Everette Nini on the bag.
"Just learning different tendencies from other people I think is the biggest thing," Brooke said about the challenges of having a new caddie. "Britt pretty much reads my mind out there a lot of the time so just speaking what I am thinking a little bit more and just being able to adjust to things like that."
If that wasn't challenge enough, the new course design at Blythefield features some strategically placed bunkers that may change the approach on a few tee shots.
"I used to cut some corners and take aggressive lines on those holes where I cannot really do that anymore," Henderson said. "But I think just having a solid strategy and leaning on what I have learned here the last few years for the rest of the golf course I think will definitely be beneficial."
Despite the obstacles, the 10-time LPGA winner still has high hopes for the week.
"I'm working and trying to get a good strategy together where I can still preform really well here," Henderson said. "I think I just have to be a little more patient than I have been in other years and at the end of the day if you hit solid golf shots and hit a lot of greens then hopefully good things will happen."
Henderson will be part of a feature group that also includes 2015 Meijer LPGA Classic winner Lexi Thompson and Nelly Korda teeing off Thursday at 1:59 p.m. on hole 10 and Friday at 8:59 a.m. on hole one.
