WATERTOWN, Massachusetts (August 26, 2025) – At Oakley Country Club, there are acorns everywhere one looks. On the clubhouse, on a lonesome napkin, and especially adorning the ground near the 18th green, the site of Megan Buck‘s (Thorny Lea Golf Club) first back-to-back title grab, at the 75th Massachusetts Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship for the Keyes Cup.
Buck reclaimed her victory after a busy three weeks of tournament golf, including a trip to match play in the 122nd Massachusetts Women’s Amateur at Concord Country Club, and an attempt to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Boston Golf Club.
“That’s one of the things that I love about Massachusetts, is there’s so many amazing golf courses that are so rich in history, so to be able to play those is great,” Buck said. “I hadn’t been playing my best golf coming into this week, but just trying to keep a positive attitude and know that, yeah, it’s better than being at work, playing great golf courses and trying to spring that attitude into this week. And it paid off.”
While Buck was able to capture a back-to-back title and her third in the past four seasons, Oakley was not a cake-walk for any competitor.
“I mean, I’m feeling good, really. I’m just feeling excited to walk off the 18th green. It’s such a battle out there, like this golf course is playing so tough,” Buck said. “So the wind just added an extra challenge today, and the greens were running so fast. So it really was the whole day just had to be so focused and so exhausted but excited.”
Knocking home a four-footer on the par-3 15th, Buck pulled back to even par on the back nine, and she finished her last nine 1-over-par. Although she posted a 75-75 for both days, she found her stride on day two, striking the ball better and learning the greens.
“I didn’t really think about it, because I felt like I played a lot better today. I mean, I hit the ball really well, but it’s again, to such a battle on the greens, you could hit a good shot and still end up with a really tough two putt,” Buck said. “Especially on the back nine today, just avoided any three putts or any real bad shots, and that’s what you had to do on this golf course.”
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After a successful first round Monday by Shannon Johnson (Thorny Lea Golf Club), Tuesday brought Buck and Johnson, longtime friends and competitors, to the same tee time and the same golf cart. Since 2020, Johnson and Buck have played tug-of-war with the title, each battling it out annually to add to their trophy collections.
“I always love playing with Shannon, and especially to be in the final group where there are those competitive juices flowing. So that’s where you just hope that we both just go out there and try to play our best golf and hope someone who makes the most birdies wins,” Buck said. “But at the end of the day, it’s always so much fun, and it’s great that the last few years, it’s always been a battle. I hope in all tournaments, if we can always be in the final pairing together, that would be great.”
With a breakthrough on the back nine, Lexi Labossiere (Wayland Country Club) stole the trophy for the Tournament Division out of a three-way tie for first. Only her second ever Mass Golf event, Labossiere improved by 6 strokes on Tuesday.
“I took what happened to me yesterday for sure, and kind of just took my took some more time today, trying to read the greens and see what they’re going to do,” Labossiere said. “And I just had some more putts drop in for me today.”
After a slight improvement on her front nine from Monday, Labossiere made 6 pars and a birdie on the back, which contributed to her 3-over-par 38, and pushing her to first after fighting for second for most of her Tuesday round.
“Yeah, I knew I was playing well in the back with a birdie on 12, so I knew I just had to keep it up, keep it in the fairway,” Labossiere said. “Like I said, just take my time and read, read the greens and cut through.
After her Mass Golf debut at the Women’s Mid-Amateur in 2024, Labossiere has little experience in the competitive field…
“Coming into this I was nervous. Any competition, I get really freaked out, but Kim and Laura were absolutely great,” Labossiere said. “We cheered each other on, we felt for each other when things didn’t work out, but it was a great, great group of women.”
Watch: Final Round Highlights
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