LEXINGTON, Ky. — The third time truly is a charm.

Laney Frye, 19, a Nicholasville, Kentucky, native and a sophomore member of the University of Kentucky women’s golf team, booked her spot to compete against the world’s best at this year’s U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina, from June 2-5. 

Frye, who has attempted to qualify twice before, qualified by shooting an even-par 142 and finishing third in a field of 56 golfers in a 36-hole U.S. Women’s Open qualifying event May 3-4 at Shannopin Country Club in Pittsburgh to earn a spot in the major championship. The top three finishers in the tournament qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open. 

“It was pretty special,” she said. “It was weird that it was split into two days. I kind of lucked out and got the first tee time, and we could zip around the course. They didn’t let us go off for the second 18 until an hour and a half later.”

Laney Frye, 19, University of Kentucky sophomore and member of the women's golf team, finished third in a field of 56 golfers at a U.S. Women's Open qualifying tournament in Pittsburgh. (Laney Frye)

Frye had one hole remaining before she knew her fate in the tournament when Mother Nature created a glitch. 

“We had one hole left, and I had to come back and finish the next day because of the weather,” she said. “That made that last hole a little more stressful. I had to pack up my things and get the car loaded and come back and play.”

Frye has played many golf courses and said her favorite is Kapalua Plantation Course in Lahaina, Hawaii, but has never played at Pine Needles. 

“I don’t think I’ll get to play it much before the Open,” she said. “I think I’ll go down the weekend before and schedule practice rounds, but I don’t know that I’ll make it down before that.”

Frye was a top golfer out of Kentucky in the class of 2020 and a nationally ranked signee. The golfer entered UK ranked No. 87 overall in Golfweek’s junior rankings and No. 24 among all 2020 prospects. Frye was the 2018 Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) state champion and runner-up in 2019. She was also a member of the back-to-back team state championships for Lexington Christian Academy in 2018 and 2019 and is a two-time Kentucky Miss Golf winner (2018-19).