Johnson logs five-shot Keyes Cup win to start busy September

September 5, 2018 | by Massachusetts Golf Association

Shannon Johnson (Dave Colt photo)

Shannon Johnson won the Grace Keyes Cup on Wednesday as she ramps up for two big events coming up in September

COHASSET, Mass. (Sept. 5, 2018) – After the first round of the Grace Keyes Cup, reigning Massachusetts Women’s Amateur Champion Shannon Johnson felt like she left several birdies out on the course. Never mind that Johnson was the only player to finish 18 holes under par.

While it went a little differently than she may have envisioned, the Norton, Mass., resident still doubled the number of birdies in her second day of play at Cohasett Golf Club en route to capturing her second Grace Keyes Cup title in three years.

After a triple bogey and a bogey on her first two holes, the 35-year old Johnson was able to settle down with a birdie on her third hole before finishing at 6-over 78 on the day. A 36-hole total of 5-over 149 left her five strokes ahead of runner up and fellow Thorny Lea Golf Club member Megan Buck. Westwood’s Sue Curtin, Wellesley’s Pam Kuong and Boston Golf Club’s Makenzie Curtis rounded out the top five on the leaderboard.

“I don’t know what was going on on the front side, or really at all today,” Johnson said after her round. “I just had to try and dig and make pars. That’s what I was trying to do. I threw in a couple of birdies on the back side.”

Johnson, who played college golf for Indiana, added a birdie on the par-4 eighth to make the turn at 5-over 41 before adding two more birdies on the back nine.

For Johnson, returning to competition this week for the Grace Keyes Cup was a good start for what will be a busy September. She hopes to build off this week’s momentum as she heads to the Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship next week and then an appearance in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship beginning on Sept. 22 in St. Louis.

“It’s good. It’s always fun to play in competitions,” Johnson said of the opportunity to take in another championship trophy and play the state’s best competition. “You need to get in pressure situations. I just have to figure out how to right the ship a little faster than what happened today going forward.”

About the Grace Keyes Cup

36-hole stroke play championship for women mid-amateurs with an established GHIN handicap from a Massachusetts Golf Association member club. Two Divisions: Keyes Division (max handicap 18) and Flighted Division (handicaps of 18.1-36.0).

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