Jensen Castle, Laney Frye Receive Invitations to 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur
AUGUSTA, Ga. – For the second straight year, two University of Kentucky All-Americans, Jensen Castle and Laney Frye, have received invitations to compete at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
The championship will be held on the Island and Bluff nines at Champions Retreat and Augusta National in Augusta, Georgia, from April 3-6.
The international field of 72 women amateurs include reigning champions from various NCAA, amateur and junior events, the last five Augusta National Women’s Amateur champions, the 30 highest ranked players – from the United States – on the final 2023 Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings and the 30 highest ranked players – not otherwise qualified – on the final 2023 Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings.
The field will play 36 holes at Champions Retreat on April 3-4, then the top 30 players and ties will compete in the final round at Augusta National on April 6.
All 72 women amateurs, regardless of making the cut or not, will play a practice round at Augusta National on April 5.
Frye, a Nicholasville, Kentucky, native, is currently the 12th-ranked woman amateur in the U.S. and the 46th-ranked amateur in the world, while Castle, a West Columbia, South Carolina, native, is the 26th-ranked woman amateur in the U.S. and the 83rd-ranked amateur in the world.
It will mark Frye’s second straight appearance at the championship (2023, 2024), and it will be Castle’s third straight appearance at the ANWA (2022, 2023, 2024). In 2023, Frye formed an 8-over-par 152, missing the cut by just four shots. Castle has made the cut the past two straight years, with her best finish coming on a 5-over-par 221 to share 12th place in 2022.
The Wildcats are each coming off their best full seasons of golf in their careers, setting the best and second-best, single-season stroke averages in program history. In fact, the Cats have claimed the top-five, single-season stroke averages in program history:
- Laney Frye – 30 rounds, 70.96 stroke average in 2022-23
- Jensen Castle – 27 rounds, 71.77 stroke average in 2022-23
- Jensen Castle – 17 rounds, 71.88 stroke average in 2019-20
- Jensen Castle – 29 rounds, 72.72 stroke average in 2021-22
- Laney Frye – 30 rounds, 72.76 stroke average in 2021-22
Frye has 54 career rounds of par-or-better, including 24 career rounds in the 60s, which is already a school record. Meanwhile, Castle has 47 career rounds of par-or-better, including 19 career rounds in the 60s, which is the second-best in program history.
Frye and Castle are well acquainted with the big stage, with Frye earning co-medalist honors in the stroke-play competition at the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2022 and Castle winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2021.
For more information on the championship, visit ANWAgolf.com.
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.
