Even two of the greatest golfers in Canadian history say they were still learning on the course in 2025.
Brooke Henderson and Nick Taylor both won at the highest levels of golf this past year and said they were still working on their games more than a decade into their professional careers.
“I think that’s something that every golfer learns, is that you can never perfect it. You’re always trying to grow and to learn,” said Henderson, who won this year’s CPKC Women’s Open for a second time. “Every day is a challenge, new challenges, old challenges, but every day is definitely a challenge.
“You’re just trying to better yourself. Every day you just get up, and you try to learn something new.”
Henderson won the Women’s Open, Canada’s national championship and only LPGA Tour event north of the border, on Aug. 24 by a stroke at Mississauga Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. It was the 14th win of her storied LPGA Tour career.
Taylor started the year off on the right foot, winning the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii on Jan. 12. It was the fifth win of his PGA Tour career and, impressively, his third consecutive playoff victory.
“I think I was most proud of the level of play that I kept up, even after a win, not really settling or being satisfied, that I kept pushing, trying to improve,” said Taylor from his hometown of Abbotsford, B.C. “I felt like I kept a level play up that I really haven’t had that consistency, probably, in my career.
“Although 2023 was obviously a phenomenal year with consistency as well, with the RBC Canadian Open win, I felt like last year was just a slight step above that.”
Taylor’s victory at the Sony Open also moved him up the all-time wins list for Canadians on golf’s top tours. He’s now fifth behind Henderson’s 14 and a three-way tie of eight wins between Winnipeg’s George Knudson, Sandra Post of Oakville, Ont., and Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont.
“We’re trying to get to a major, to be along with Mike Weir (who won Augusta in 2003), on the men’s side of golf,” said Taylor on his place in the history books. “It feels like Brooke’s on an island of her own with all her success, and it might be untouchable for all of us, but something to admire and work towards.
“But I’m definitely proud of the fact I got to five wins. I didn’t really think about the history side of it, but it’s going to keep me pushing to try to get more.”
Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., is one of three Canadians who will have full-time status on the LPGA Tour in 2026. She’ll be joined by Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., and Vancouver’s Leah John, who earned their cards through qualifying earlier this month.
There will be seven Canadians with full rides on the PGA Tour in the new year: Taylor, Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont.
John, Ewart and Yellamaraju will all be rookies on golf’s top circuits.
“What a great couple of months for Canadian golf, right? Sudarshan, AJ, Leah, all getting their rookie cards,” said Paul Perrier, who was named Golf Canada’s new chief sport officer on Dec. 3. “I think it speaks to the global competitive momentum that Golf Canada has.
“The high-performance pathway was designed to create this exact process where we’re providing opportunities, resources, coaching for our next superstars to really jump into these tours, to help them be in this position and be in the best position to succeed and perform at this level.”
Perrier also confirmed that Golf Canada is still committed to its strategic plan of having 30 players on the PGA and LPGA Tours by 2032, a goal set by his predecessor, Kevin Blue, in February 2022.
The raw materials are certainly in place, as Golf Canada reports that recreational play across the country again grew in 2025.
Their last national survey was in 2024, when nearly six million Canadians played golf. However, more than 11 million scores were posted to Golf Canada’s app in 2025, up six per cent year-over-year and 54 per cent above pre-pandemic levels.
Golf Canada’s annual report also says that more than 200,000 young people now engage with programming through golf courses, schools, and community centres. Also, more than $12 million has been raised since 2020 to support equitable access, coach training, and youth curriculum provided by the national sport organization.
“It’s a sport of connection, and it’s something that really invites everyone to participate in,” said Perrier. “When you’re in a country like Canada, where typically you’re not able to get outside all the time, when you do get that opportunity, you want to find activities that are challenging, that will allow you to be social and around people.”
Henderson said the growth of recreational golf in Canada has been amazing.
“To think that I may have played a small part in that is really exciting to me,” said Henderson, who started playing as a three-year-old. “I think it’s an incredible game that you can play your entire life, and you can really build friendships and relationships, really network.
“I feel like it just teaches you so many great life lessons, especially as a kid. Honesty, perseverance, integrity, just so many good things come from it.”
