UK Women's Golf gears up for NCAA Regionals

Photo via UK Athletics

For the first time since 2017, the UK Women’s Golf team is making an appearance in the NCAA Regional Tournament. The team is currently in Columbus, Ohio, where tomorrow they will tee off at the Ohio State University Golf Club.

📍 Columbus, Ohio

🔜 @NCAAGolf_ Regionals pic.twitter.com/2jGuXnEVSF

— Kentucky Women’s Golf (@KentuckyWGolf) May 8, 2021

The Wildcats enter the tournament as the 10-seed in an 18-team field and are led by a strong group of five golfers. Senior Rikke Svejgård Nielsen, sophomores Jensen Castle, María Villanueva Aperribay and Marissa Wenzler, and freshman Laney Frye have been the team’s top performers, playing critical roles in nearly every round this season.

Frye has a team-best 73.5 stroke average and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team. Castle, who received the same honor last season, isn’t very far behind Frye with a stroke average of 74. Villanueva Aperribay has shot four of UK’s lowest scores this season, three of which have been in her last seven rounds. Svejgård Nielsen has come alive down the stretch and Wenzler has four rounds of par or better golf under her belt.

The ladies enter this tournament with some extra motivation after last season’s tournament was canceled to COVID-19.

Our upcoming @NCAAGolf_ Regionals appearance has been two years in the making.

We can't wait to get out there this week to compete and enjoy what we've had our sights set on for a while. pic.twitter.com/LBSaSqAj8s

— Kentucky Women’s Golf (@KentuckyWGolf) May 8, 2021

The Regional run May 10-12 and all competitors enter with a goal of advancing to the national championships, which are later this month in Scottsdale, Arizona at Grayhawk Golf Club. The six low teams and the three low individuals not on those teams will qualify.

Best of luck to the Wildcat golfers!