By Nia Fredrich
WESTON, Massachusetts (September 15, 2025) – While the tee sheet was short, the stakes were high. Just four players making up two sides would advance to the 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship set to take place in May at Daniel Island Club in South Carolina.
Shannon Johnson and Megan Buck (North Easton, MA), winners of the last six Massachusetts Women’s Four-Balls, clearly know their way around a best-ball format. But out of the gates on Monday that wasn’t the case for the two mid-amateur players.
Sophie Thai (Los Altos, CA) and Lauren Pham (Las Vegas, NV) put the pressure on as they came flying out of the gates. The Dartmouth duo played the first three holes at 1-under with Pham catching the only birdie on the par-5 second. Pham also had the only birdie on the par-3 5th. Propelling them to leave room for a few errors and catch a solid pace. Though the duo held steady through the rest of the round, an even par scorecard left them sitting around the 18th green as the rest of the field would finish to decide their fate.
Johnson and Buck fell into their groove later in the round than they would care to admit, but a 35 footer for birdie on the par-3 17th would give them the separation they needed before the gettable par-5 18th. The one thing to count on with this duo is classic back and forth, ham and egg action. After the birdie on 17, it was Johnson’s turn to step up. A cozy two-putt birdie on 18 let them secure position for the solo lead.
While this is normally place for celebration, the final group of the day was still to fill out those final few squares on the scorecard. Maya Palanza Gaudin (East Falmouth, MA) and Alexandra Phung (New York City, NY) we’re riding the edge between securing their spot, and forcing extra holes for a playoff. Phung brought home those USGA plaques with a birdie on the 18th. The Drive, Chip, and Putt superstars have collectively won the last three national championships, and will now seek victory on another national stage.
As the final group came in, Johnson and Buck had secured low-scorer honors and a ticket to their fifth U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball together. Gaudin and Phung would both Drive, Chip, and Putt their way around Weston to find themselves on a USGA competitive stage. Thai and Pham then found themselves in a playoff for alternate position against Kaitlyn Lee (Scarsdale, NY) + Beryl Wang (New Rochelle, NY).
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Just less than a month ago, Johnson and Buck were head to head in the Massachusetts Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. With finishing scores just two strokes difference, Buck claimed her back to back titles with victory over her four-ball partner. The duo has already claimed their sixth Massachusetts Women’s Four-Ball Championship title earlier this year, followed with strong performances at the Massachusetts Women’s Amateur Championship where Johnson was not only the stroke play medalist, but also the runner-up after dominating match play action. With Buck then securing her Keyes Cup victory in August, it was due time for some friendly golf action, and what better way to play then for the national stage ticket.
Today, Buck and Johnson were there when each other needed it. “I think we’re both just comfortable with each other and know each other’s games. So it’s easy to just go out and know you can just play and be comfortable. So I think if one of us gets in trouble, the other one knows, like, we can back them up” said Buck.
“We hit clubs so similarly. And I think we think about the game very similarly. So, like, if you’re questioning, you know, club yardages and stuff like that. You know, we’re always standing next to each other, kind of just being a caddy for each other, really out there, and also being cheerleaders when we need to” said Johnson.
As previously mentioned, it wasn’t a straight giveaway to how the leaderboard was going to play out.
“It wasn’t the best of starts necessarily bogey in that second hole, that par five up the hill. I mean, it’s a tough hole in general. You got to be in the fairway to hit that approach shot, so that was kind of unfortunate. But then we both missed a green on three. I short sided myself. You [Megan] were plugged in the bunker, and we’re definitely looking at Bogey, and I made an amazing 30 foot putt down the hill. And was like, okay, let’s get started. And then it was changed the mood for the hole it totally did. Because I think if we bogey that it would have been a much different mood out on the golf course” said Johnson
Buck then attested to Johnson’s description of the first few holes.
“You [Shannon] played pretty steady. I got a really shaky start, and then kind of finally started to remember how to hit the golf ball towards the back nine.”
Once they made their way down the stretch, those golden tickets were ready for anyone.
“I did glance at the scores right before 17, and as I was like walking to the green on 17, so I knew it was going to be pretty close. Thinking we needed to at least make one birdie coming in. But I mean, you [Shannon] had a good bunker shot, so you had a putt that I figured you could make for par, so that kind of freed me up a little bit” said Buck.
But the putt for par wasn’t necessary.
“It was probably 35 feet, 30 feet, and just freaking sank it. And you kind of get a sense when someone’s gonna hit a good putt and, like, that thing started rolling. I’m like, oh, this could be in the hole. And it was, it was perfect pace. And that was big. That was huge, just to get a little more separation. And we knew, obviously the this hole [18] was kind of a birdie hole. It’s like scenes from the U.S. Women’s Mid Am, the year I won. It’s seven wood in my hand. I had just over 200 yards. And I’m like, this should be perfect. And it hit three feet in front of the flag and rolled to the back, which was fine, and then trying to cozy it on down there to make an easy, second putt for myself” described Johnson.
In terms of their week in South Carolina, Buck and Johnson aim to do one thing: represent.
“We want to represent the mid AMS. We do we can do it. We want to try and go as far as we can” said Johnson.
While they awaited their fate with the final groups, Johnson and Buck got a look at the next generation of national level talent coming down the 18th.
Phung and Gaudin collectively have an impressive track record that includes a few trips down Magnolia Lane to none other than Augusta National.
In 2023, Gaudin won the Girls’ 12-13y/o finals, and that same year, Phung captured the Girls’ 10-11 title. In 2025, Phung notched the Girls 12-13 crown in her record-tying fourth National Finals appearance (2019, 2021, 2023, 2025).
While diving deeper into Gaudin’s story and background of golf is worth every minute, this history books are open for anyone who wants to hear about her journey to Drive, Chip, and Putt, but most importantly, her journey to golf.
Instead, let’s head into today’s round of golf.
Phung and Gaudin were in the same boat as Johnson and Buck for the first few holes. A few pars, a couple squares, and the first circle didn’t hit the card until the Par-4 7th.
“100% we didn’t have the start we had imagined. But it’s never over ’til it’s over, and that was definitely the case today” said Phung.
“She [Alexa] played amazing. She had some very clutch putts and some amazing drives. And I played better than I thought I was going to, so that was great. And it just worked and that was awesome” said Gaudin as she smiled ear to ear with her partner.
Golf always has a way of guiding a networking experience, and though it’s never quite taken us all down Magnolia Lane like we might hope, the friendship that has grown between these two champions spoke loudly from their performance against a competitive field today.
“Maya is a close friend of mine, and she gave ma a lot of support. So I was up there making shots, and she was making shots. I just felt like no matter the outcome, we would still be happy with each other as partners. So there was a lot of stress to just put behind me because I was out there to have fun with my friend” said Phung.
The New Yorker spent her weekend soaking up a September weekend on Cape Cod, a bonding experience for both of them.
“We practiced together. We had some banter. I beat her. She beat me. It was just a fun dynamic. And out there, we’re just doing jokes and not putting the pressure on ourselves and I do think that helped for today” noted Gaudin.
And still, there was more action on the course. The alternate positions were in the hands of Sophie Thai and Lauren Pham and Kaitlyn Lee (Scarsdale, NY) + Beryl Wang (New Rochelle, NY). After finishing in regulation at even par, it was a playoff for positioning. The Dartmouth duo of Thai and Pham went par-bridie on 17 & 18 for 1st alternate positioning and to close out a beautiful day at Weston.
QUALIFIERS (Names; Cities)
Megan Buck (North Easton, MA) & Shannon Johnson (North Easton, MA); 70 (-2)
Maya Palanza Gaudin (East Falmouth, MA) + Alexandra Phung (New York City, NY); 71 (-1)
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Sophie Thai (Los Altos, CA) + Lauren Pham (Las Vegas, NV); 72 (E)
Kaitlyn Lee (Scarsdale, NY) + Beryl Wang (New Rochelle, NY); 72 (E)
Since 1894, The Weston Golf Club has earned its reputation for honoring the skill of the game of golf. The Par 72, 18-hole golf course was originally designed by Donald Ross and is the focal point of the club.
Although the Club opened in 1894, the current location was built in 1916-1917. Donald Ross designed the original nine holes and the expanded par-71 layout, which opened in 1923. The two newest holes (11 and 12, designed by Geoffrey Cornish) were added in 1965. These replaced a very short par 3 and one par 4, and brought the course to its current par-72 layout. Improvements during the 1990’s included new tees on 16 and 17. During the Fall of 2001, three greens were reconstructed (2, 8 and 13). The bunkers were restored and a new irrigation system installed during 2002-2003.
The 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball will take place at the Daniel Island Club in Charleston, South Carolina from May 2nd-6th, 2026. Out of 382 sides (764 players) entries, just 64 will advance to the championship proper. 32 of the sides will qualify for match play following two rounds of stroke play. If necessary, a playoff will be conducted to determine the final sides for match play.
The creation of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship was announced on Feb. 11, 2013, along with the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. They became the first additions to the USGA roster of national championships since the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur in 1987.
Four-ball has become a widely popular format for State and Regional Golf Associations across the United States. In 2012, more than 150 championships, either strictly four-ball or as part of a competition format, were conducted in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Mika Liu and Rinko Mitsunaga claimed the first title in 2015 at Bandon Dunes Resort (Pacific Dunes) with a 4-and-3 victory in the final match over Hannah O’Sullivan and Robynn Ree.
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