María Villanueva Aperribay, Cathryn Brown Go Under Par, Kentucky in Contention to Make Cut at T7

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Wildcats were one of just three teams to go par-or-better in the second round at the NCAA East Lansing Regional on Tuesday, recording an even-par 288 at Forest Akers Golf Course in East Lansing, Michigan. In doing so, the University of Kentucky women’s golf team bumped up to a share of seventh place on a 4-over tournament total, just four shots back from the top five.

The Wildcats will tee off in the final round Wednesday, beginning at 10:10 a.m. ET, with the hope of finishing in the top five and earning their second-ever bid to the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship.

Every player in the lineup has recorded a par-or-better round on the golf course this week, after the bottom of the lineup turned in the team’s top two scores of the second round Tuesday.

María Villanueva Aperribay shaved 10 strokes from her first round to her second round, recording a 3-under-par 69 on Tuesday. Her scorecard included four birdies on hole Nos. 4, 8, 13 and 18 and just one bogey on the par-4 No. 15. To cap off her thrilling turnaround Tuesday, she chipped in for a birdie on her final hole of the day, the par-4 No. 18, just in time for the storms to roll in.

Her 69 marked the lowest round of anyone in the lineup thus far this week. Thanks to her veteran effort, she is just 4-over for the tournament and jumped 20 spots on the individual leaderboard to find a share of 38th place ahead of the final round.

Ironically, Villanueva Aperribay and Cathryn Brown both recorded a 7-over-par 79 in the first round, however, they turned in the the best and next best scores in the second round.

Brown, who is playing in her first NCAA Regional, recorded a 1-under-par 71 on Tuesday. Despite the wind picking up and a storm brewing in the west, she especially made her presence felt on the back nine. She recorded two bogeys on the front nine on Nos. 2 and 9, then fired off three birdies on the back nine on Nos. 11, 13 and 15. The freshman even rolled in at least a 30-footer birdie putt on the par-4 No. 15, sending the coaching staff her family into a cheer as UK began to creep up the leaderboard.

Brown, an Eddyville, Kentucky, native, is 6-over for the tournament and tied for 45th place on the individual leaderboard.

Marta López Echevarría and Marissa Wenzler turned in identical scores of 2-over-par 74 on Tuesday.

López Echevarría, a junior playing in her first NCAA Regional, had an active second round, recording five bogeys and three birdies. Two of her birdies came in back-to-back fashion on the par-3 No. 7 and the par-5 No. 8. She continues to pace the lineup through 36 holes, sitting in a tie for 14th place on an even-par 144. Wenzler, a graduate student playing in her fifth NCAA Regional, began the day going bogey-par-bogey before tempering out. A couple of birdies on the back nine washed a double on the par-5 No. 13, as she combines for a 2-over-par 146 for a share of 24th place.

Also boasting a 2-over for 24th place is All-American and All-Southeastern Conference First Team selection Laney Frye.

The senior from Nicholasville, Kentucky, earned a 3-over-par 75 on Tuesday. She had a calm round, rolling in 15 pars and just a trio of bogeys, she just couldn’t capitalize on any birdie opportunities.

The Wildcats will compete in the all-important final round on Wednesday. They’ll go off No. 1 beginning at 10:10 a.m. ET, paired with Oklahoma State and Augusta. The field will enjoy sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70s for the last day of the NCAA East Lansing Regional.

The top five teams, and the top individual not on an advancing team, will punch their ticket to the 2024 NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, from May 17-22.

Scorecard
T14 Marta López Echevarría 70, 74 … 144 (E)
T24 Marissa Wenzler 72, 74 … 146 (+2)
T24 Laney Frye 71, 75 … 146 (+2)
T37 María Villanueva Aperribay 79, 69 … 148 (+4)
T45 Cathryn Brown 79, 71 … 150 (+6)

For the latest on the Kentucky women’s golf team, follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.