Kentucky golfers Frye, Castle positioned for run at U.S. Women’s Amateur title
Two Kentucky Wildcats are in the hunt for one of golf’s most prestigious amateur championships.
Junior Laney Frye and senior Jensen Castle both advanced Tuesday to the match-play bracket of the 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place, Washington.
Frye, from Lexington Christian Academy, was tied for first place after two rounds of stroke play, which set the pairings for the 64 players — from among the original 156 — who moved on to match-play rounds that were to begin Wednesday.
Castle, from West Columbia, S.C., was tied for 14th place after match play. Last year, Castle became the first UK golfer ever to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y.
Frye earned co-medalist honors for the stroke-play rounds Tuesday with 13-year-old Alice Ziyi Zhao of China and Latanna Stone of Riverview, Fla.
Frye shot identical rounds of 5-under-par 68 on Monday and Tuesday.
The Lexington native had a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th hole that would have put her at 11-under par. It slid by, resulting in the three-way tie at the top.
“The conditions were mild today,” Frye said. “I think I got the better end of the draw going early/late. Not a ton of wind. It was kind of in a different direction, so that took a little adjustment. But the course is perfect. It’s getting firmer and faster, all you can ask for.”
Frye hopes to build on her strong start the way Castle did last year.
“It’s pretty life changing, I saw her gain a ton of confidence from it, she rode the wave of success,” Frye said.
Castle, who entered match play as the No. 63 seed among 64 golfers last year, will defend her title from a stronger position this time as the No. 15 seed.
Frye, the No. 3 seed in match play, was to face No. 62 Jennifer Rosenberg of Laurel Hollow, N.Y., and the University of Charlotte in Wednesday’s opening round of match play. Castle, at No. 15, was to go up against No. 50 Aneka Seumanutafa of Emmitsburg, Md., and Ohio State.
The tournament, which is being televised on the Golf Channel, continues throughout the week, concluding with the championship match on Sunday.
Castle shot a 4-under par 69 on Tuesday after carding an even-par 73 on Monday, jumping up 15 places on the leader board from round one to round two.
