Latest news with #USWomen'sAmateur
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Akie Iwai wins Portland Classic to join twin sister Chisato as rookie LPGA Tour champion
She had second-place finishes in Thailand in February and Los Angeles in April, then watched her sister win at Mayakoba in May in Mexico. On Sunday, Chisato Iwai shot a 64 to tie for third, five strokes back. The winner finished at 24-under 264 on the tree-lined course. She opened with consecutive 67s, then shot a 64 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead into the final round. American Gurleen Kaur was a career-best second, closing with a 65. Linn Grant of Sweden had a 67 to join Chisato Iwai at 19 under. Grace Kim of Australia was 18 under after a 70. Advertisement Amateur Kiara Romero shot a 64 to tie for seventh at 16 under in her first tour start. The University of Oregon player won the 2023 US Girls' Junior and 2025 Big Ten title and made the quarterfinals of the US Women's Amateur earlier this month. 'It feels great to just play really well my first LPGA event,' Romero said." Kind of gives me a lot of confidence going into the school year. . . . All the Ducks fans are out here. So, we had a big crowd and a lot of people cheering me on, so it meant a lot to put a good week." Advertisement The tournament is the longest continuous event on the LPGA Tour except for the majors, dating to 1972.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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.' Advertisement 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.' Cam Kerry can be reached at
Boston Globe
12-08-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Shannon Johnson leads after first day of 122nd Massachusetts Women's Amateur
The North Easton resident leads Westford's Molly Smith, a rising junior at Central Florida, by two shots. Smith broke into red numbers late in the round with an eagle at the par-5 17th and a birdie at the par-4 finishing hole. Advertisement Both players took advantage of the four par 5s as Smith was 4 under and Johnson 3 under. Isabel Brozena, a rising sophomore at Xavier from North Reading, shot even par and is third. Rebecca Skoler, who won this event two years ago and reached match play at last week's US Women's Amateur, leads a group of four at 2-over 74. Defending champion Morgan Smith, who missed the cut at the national amateur, was 6 over in a tie for 20th. With temperatures in the 90s, conditions were difficult with the average scoring being 84.6. The top 32 players after Tuesday's second round of qualifying will make the match play bracket with an 18-hole final scheduled for Friday. The winner earns a spot in the 2026 US Women's Amateur. Advertisement Keith Pearson can be reached at
