UK Women’s Golf Completes Second Straight Top-Five Finish
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – With three consistent showings all three rounds, the Kentucky women’s golf team tied for fifth place in a challenging field this weekend at the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational.
Kentucky closed the 54-hole tournament with a 1-over-par 289 on Sunday at UNC Finley Golf Course (par 72, 6,393 yards) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. After placing fourth last month at the Mason Rudolph Championship, the Wildcats have posted back-to-back top-five finishes for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
The formula was similar all weekend. Each day, two Wildcats posted under-par rounds and all three Kentucky team scorecards (284-290-289) were within six strokes of one another.
On Sunday, it was juniors Jensen Castle and Marissa Wenzler in red numbers with identical 2-under-par 70s.
With their effort and an even-par 72 from junior María Villanueva Aperribay, UK climbed three spots in the final round to tie 12th-ranked Duke (Women’s Golf Coaches Association Poll) at 1-under par overall.
“I’m proud of this group for battling today and for getting a top five in a highly competitive field,” UK head coach Golda Borst said. “We know what we need to continue to work on and I think it’s good that we have a quick turnaround before the Ally. This team is capable of so much and we can’t wait to get back out on the course.”
No. 11 Wake Forest cruised to a 10-shot victory at 17-under par. The Demon Deacons’ Rachel Kuehn held off a hard-charging Erica Shepherd from Duke for a one-shot win at 11-under par.
Kentucky’s 863, although not the low of the season, is the fifth-best 54-hole total in program history. The Wildcats carded an 861 last month at the Mason Rudolph Championship.
The Wildcats turned in seven individual rounds of par or better in Chapel Hill this weekend, two each by Kentucky’s trio of juniors, who each had one in the Sunday finale.
With five more birdies in the final round, Castle penciled in a 2-under-par 70 and was UK’s top finisher in 13th place. With a 73 in the first round and a 69 on Saturday, Castle finished at 212, 4-under par. It marks her second-best collegiate score just a tournament after shooting a 208.
The 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion has kept the momentum rolling since her monumental United States Golf Association amateur national championship this summer. Five of her last six rounds in college events (she played last weekend in the LPGA Tour’s Cognizant Founders Cup thanks to a special exemption) have been par or better.
Wenzler enjoyed her best college tournament since her freshman season. She tied her 18-hole career low in Friday’s round with a 69 and matched her 54-hole career best of 216 with a 2-under-par 70 in the final round.
Four of Wenzler’s first five holes Sunday were birdies. She tied for 26th place, her best finish since the Liz Murphey Fall Collegiate Classic last November.
Villanueva Aperribay closed strong in the final round to tie for 29th place at 1-over par. The Spaniard shot 72 on Sunday after a 71 in the second round.
Sophomore Laney Frye tumbled in the finale with a 77. She was tied for second place after Friday’s 4-under-par 68 and was tied for 11th heading into Sunday after a 73 in the second round. But after an uncharacteristic rough finish, Frye tied for 35th at 2-over par.
Freshman Marta López Echevarría made her collegiate debut this weekend and tied for 93rd at 22-over par. She carded a 79 in the final round.
Kentucky will close its fall season in a week at the Ally in West Point, Mississippi. UK played in Mississippi State’s home tournament last fall and placed 12th.
The Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational is traditionally one of the top stops on the fall collegiate slate, and this year was no different with four teams ranked in the latest WGCA top 15. Kentucky is a two-time winner of the event with championships in 1983 and 1989.
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.
