Former UK golfer Laney Frye, second from right, and Eastern Kentucky golfer Claira Beth Ramsey were all smiles after their play at the Woodford Legends Invitational. (Bill Caine/Woodford Sun)
After her first round in the Woodford Legends Invitational Friday, former University of Kentucky golf standout Laney Frey said the two-player scramble format was “different, casual and relaxing” compared to college golf.
Frye and partner Claira Beth Ramsey, an Eastern Kentucky University golfer, shot an 11-under par 61 at the Woodford Club in Versailles. However, if Frye thought that was fun, imagine what she was thinking Saturday after her team combined for 13 birdies and one eagle in a sizzling 15-under par 57.
Their 26-under par 36-hole score tied former LPGA stars Becky Morgan and Catriona Matthew for first place. The two LPGA Legends shared $45,000 for winning while Frye and Ramsey got to smile and celebrate with their own first-place trophy.
Frye had a terrific senior season with a 71.0 stroke average in 10 tournaments — the second best single-season mark ever at UK behind her 70.9 a year earlier. Seventeen of her 29 rounds last season were par or better — the second best total in school history behind the 20 she had a year earlier. She was third in the 2024 SEC Tournament and earned All-American honorable mention honors.
Frye plans to play in several amateur events this year before turning pro in time for the LPGA Tour Qualifying School in late summer.
“It’s kind of the same typical amateur schedule but I am planning on going over to Ireland to play (in the Women’s Amateur Championship). The course looks beautiful,” Frye said. “It’s gonna be my first time playing golf over there and getting to experience real links golf. I played link style courses in America, but from what I hear it’s not the same as playing over there.”
Frye said the Ireland event fit perfectly into her summer schedule and she hopes in the future she’ll be going back overseas to play in even bigger tournaments on the LPGA Tour.
“It’s a good learning experience now and it’s great competition and I’ll put my game through a good test,” Frye said.
Frye is “definitely” proud of her UK career but also thinks about what might have been..
“I think everybody looks back and thinks they could have done more. I think the number one ranked player in the world probably feels like at times they leave stuff out there,” Frye said. “But it was a good career. I thought I got better throughout my whole time at Kentucky.
“I’m really excited to see what lies ahead but I’ll miss the girls and everything Kentucky has given me.”
