Laney Frye’s Top-10 Finish, Jensen Castle’s Under-Par Round Highlight Mason Rudolph Championship Final Round
FRANKLIN, Tenn. – The University of Kentucky women’s golf team wrapped up its second tournament of the season Sunday, finishing in 11th place on a 6-over-par 870 at the Mason Rudolph Championship at the Vanderbilt Legends Club (North Course) in Franklin, Tennessee.
The Wildcats were 4-under through their first seven holes this morning, knocking at the door of the top five. They had trouble capitalizing on their hot start to the final round, turning in a 7-over-par 295 Sunday.
Several teams held the lead throughout the final round, however host Vanderbilt pulled it out in the end on a 6-under for the day and a 24-under for the tournament. Auburn came in second place at 21-under, while South Carolina, who played alongside Kentucky in the final round, came in third place at 16-under.
Once again, Laney Frye was the highest finisher for the Wildcats, earning her first top-10 finish of 2023-24.
The senior from Nicholasville, Kentucky, carded a 6-under-par 210, good enough for a share of ninth place. It marked her best finish of the season, and the 13th top-10 finish of her college career.
Despite going 2-over in the final round, which was just her second over-par round of the season, she still holds a scoring average of 69.3. The Wildcat continued to capitalize on the par-3s and par-5s in the final round, and that was evident by recording her third eagle of the season on the par-5 No. 4 Sunday, which was the same hole that she eagled in the second round.
Jensen Castle paced the team in the final round, recording her lowest score of the weekend with a 1-under-par 71. The West Columbia, South Carolina, native improved her position on the individual leaderboard 14 places with her Sunday effort, which included four birdies, a bogey and a double. It marked her third round under par on the season and the 47th par-or-better round of her career. It also helped her finish tied for 35th place on a 1-over-par 217 at the Mason Rudolph Championship.
Joining Castle in a tie for 35th place was Marissa Wenzler.
The graduate student also carded a 1-over-par 217 at the tournament after a 3-over-par 75 Sunday. The Dayton, Ohio, native logged three birdies on the day, but a double bogey on the par-4 No. 10, combined with four more bogeys, became too big of a hole to dig herself out of.
María Villanueva Aperribay carded her best round of the weekend Sunday, using a 3-over-par 75 to improve five spots on the individual leaderboard. Birdies on two of the first four holes, and another on her final hole of the day, the par-5 No. 18, helped her settle for a 13-over-par 229 to find a share of 74th place.
Brooke Oberparleiter rounded out the Kentucky lineup on a 6-over-par 78 Sunday. The freshman’s round was highlighted by a trio of birdies, including two in her final four holes of the round. She concluded the second tournament of her college career with a 13-over-par 229 for a share of 74th place.
The Wildcats will return to action in just over one week, competing at The Blessings Collegiate Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas from Oct. 2-4. One of the premier tournaments in the country, the combined men’s and women’s event will be held at the Blessings Golf Club. It’s a unique format in that the tournament features mixed team play, as both Kentucky golf squads will combine their scores against the field. In addition to the overall championship, winners are declared on the team and individual level for both men’s and women’s action. Select action will be televised live on Golf Channel from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET each day of competition.
Scorecard
T9 Laney Frye 69, 67, 74 … 210 (-6)
T35 Marissa Wenzler 71, 71, 75 … 217 (+1)
T35 Jensen Castle 73, 73, 71 … 217 (+1)
T74 Brooke Oberparleiter 75, 76, 78 … 229 (+13)
T74 María Villanueva Aperribay 76, 78 75 … 229 (+13)
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.
