3 days ago
Isabel Brozena wins Massachusetts Women's Amateur, 2 up, over top-seeded Shannon Johnson
It was an intrepid move. But it won her the match.
Brozena's aggressive play paid dividends down the stretch, as she defeated top-seeded Shannon Johnson, 2 up, to win the 122nd Massachusetts Women's Amateur Championship at Concord Country Club on Friday. The victory marked Brozena's first in the Women's Amateur after her title in the 2024 Girls' Junior Amateur.
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The 19-year-old, a member at Indian Ridge Country Club, enjoyed a successful freshman season at Xavier, where she was an All-Big East selection. Brozena won the 2022 and 2024 individual MIAA girls' championships while at North Reading. With the win, she qualified for the 2026 US Women's Amateur in Ooltewah, Tenn.
Johnson found trouble off the tee on 18, landing behind the lone tree along the fairway. Her lie precluded her from making a run at the green, despite her being down one hole. She laid up with a hybrid, which helped spur Brozena into attempting the challenging fairway bunker shot.
'I just knew I hit it good when I hit it,' said Brozena, who was seeded third in match play.
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Brozena, who never trailed, regained her lead on 16. She hammered a drive north of 280 yards, sailing a large undulating fairway. From 156 yards, she hit 9-iron within a putter's length for eagle.
Upon striking her approach shot, she talked to the ball. She skipped nearly 20 yards, following the ball and remarking, 'Be the number, be the number. Come on baby!'
'I knew that I had to hit it pretty good and I just went right at it because I figured that I've got to make something happen here,' said Brozena. 'With the way she was putting, she was probably going to make birdie. When I saw it, I just knew it was close.'
When Brozena converted the short eagle putt, she erupted with a loud 'Yes!' and a fist pump.
'I know that she's going to hit it a long way,' said Johnson. 'On 16, I know that she was probably going to get it up on top of that hill. That's unfortunate for me, because that's a much tougher shot than what she had in. If you've got that length, you've got to utilize it and take advantage of it. I know that I can methodically plod around and have attempts at birdies, knowing that she's going to be a little closer than me.'
Brozena's monstrous drives allowed her to hunt pins. The length of her drives outmuscled the 6,030-yard course. Rather than pulling out a 6-iron, she go with 9-iron. She hit 8 of 14 fairways, 13 of 18 greens, and finished with five one-putts. She three-putted just once.
'Especially on this course, distance can be really big,' said Brozena. 'You need to hit your approach shots close, but having shorter clubs in means everything on these greens. I took pretty aggressive lines, hit driver pretty much everywhere.'
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Brozena enjoyed an early lead, winning the first two holes, before taking a three-up advantage through seven holes. Brozena sunk a left-to-right birdie putt from 8 feet on No. 9, putting the pressure on Johnson to match her on the 140-yard par-3. Johnson stepped up and sank it, avoiding falling four down and giving her confidence at the turn.
On the back nine, Johnson surged.
Her cerebral approach put her back in contention. She won Nos. 10 and 11, before sinking a birdie putt from a flagstick's length on the 141-yard, par-3 15th.
Brozena hit the gas on the final three holes, pulling away with the two memorable shots.
Post-match, Brozena shared a hug with her father greenside. As her caddie, Lee had a front-row seat to watch his daughter live out her dreams.
'Watching her grow up and play, it's just amazing,' he said. 'The progression she's made and to win something like this, it's great for her, seeing her meet her goals. It's fantastic.'
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