Last fall, Brooke Henderson underwent a surgical procedure on her right eye to remove a fleshy growth, known as Pterygium, or surfer’s eye, that was obstructing her vision. What followed was a two-month recovery break. “It’s been healing really well,” she said back then and so in January 2025, she ditched her glasses and wore contacts at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. That helped her get rid of the glasses’ frame getting in the way.

Further, she has been a feel player since the beginning of her career owing to bad eyesight and would rely on his sister/caddie Brittany to even spot the ball. So with her Pterygium issue gone, and switching from glasses to contacts, has her game undergone any change? Well, months after her surgery, the golfer has once again spoken about her eyesight, surgery and how much of a difference it has caused in her performance. She was at the Meijer LPGA Classic, when a reporter asked her:

Reporter: “So I understand you had surgery on your eyes.”
Henderson: “Uh-huh.”

Reporter: “Is that something typical that a golfer faces?”
Henderson: “Yeah, actually. I have kind of — I don’t know if it’s rare, but I had a condition, some golfers out here do have it, it’s called surfer’s eye, a bump on the right eye. So I was unable to wear contacts, so that’s why I wore glasses for the last two seasons. I was able to have successful surgery last September and been able to wear contacts this year, which has been a really big difference.”

Reporter: “You think that’s really contributed to your playing well, better?”
Henderson: “It’s a been a big adjustment going from nothing to glasses and then to contacts. It’s definitely been a big change, but I think I’m just continuing to get more comfortable and it makes a huge difference when it’s rainy or windy. Glasses were really annoying, especially at the British Open last year. I think it’s just easier in all conditions to perform well, and to be able to wear sunglasses is another huge thing. I wasn’t able to do that last two years.”

Though Brooke Henderson has yet to register a breakthrough performance this season, she has registered one top 10 finish out of 13 starts. She made nine cuts but missed four. At the latest Meijer LPGA Classic, she registered a finish of T14, a massive improvement from her 2024 performance (T34). But, hey, was more at play behind her improved performance?

Brooke Henderson looked for inspiration in the Ottawa Senators

Brooke Henderson was preparing for the 2025 Black Desert Championship in May while her favorite hockey team, the Ottawa Senators, was in action. The Senators were in the midst of their first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They managed to win the last two games, which allowed them to avoid elimination and keep their playoff hopes alive. Supporting the team’s run, Henderson said, “I feel like I’ll still be playing while they’re playing, but it’s just been so exciting to watch. They’re such a great team, and they have so much talent and so much heart and so much fight in them, and it’s definitely really inspiring.”

She eventually went on to register her second-best performance of the season so far, with a T12 finish at the Black Desert Championship. But why, particularly the Ottawa Senators? In September 2024, while Henderson was recovering from surgery and navigating a career slump, the Ottawa Senators announced a multi-year partnership with LPGA star Brooke Henderson.

As part of this collaboration, Henderson’s water bottles and golf towels will prominently display the Ottawa Senators logo. “I’m thrilled to partner with the Senators. It’s an amazing opportunity. Growing up, I played hockey, watched it, and always supported the Sens, so this feels like a perfect match,” Henderson said in 2024. Well, the fans certainly appreciate the Ottawa Senators inspiring Brooke Henderson! Do you?