Great Lakes Championship At The Highlands First Round Notes

via Epson Tour

First Round Leaderboard

RECAP 

Laney Frye Fires Low Morning Round to Take Early Lead at the Great Lakes  Championship 

Northern Michigan reminded the Epson Tour that it’s not quite officially summer yet, with  chilly and wet conditions dominating Friday’s first round. Birdies were out there on the Heather Course at the Highlands, but the field of 144 saw their fair share of bogeys, too. At the end of the day, one person separated themselves from the rest of the field, and that was rookie Laney Frye.  

Frye’s start to the round was anything but ideal. A bogey on the par-4 1st gave the University of Kentucky alum ground to make up, but she did that quickly, immediately getting birdies  back on the second and third holes. The opening blemish was her only of the day, going  bogey-free in the remaining 17 holes to sign for a 6-under, 66.  

“I guess the bogey on one felt so stupid,” said Frye. “It wasn’t really a called for bogey, and  from that point on, I tried to keep it in play o7 the tee, and I was in a good position, so lots of greens were hit. I was out of position once and was able to save that par, but it was pretty straightforward out there.”  

The 22-year-old has had quite the rookie season so far, making seven consecutive cuts and only finishing outside the top 25 three times.  

Despite notching a season-best T5 finish at the Reliance Matrix Championship presented  by Epson, Frye has only yet had experience chasing the leader rather than being the leader.  Still, consistent golf – and good golf, for that matter – is proving to the rookie, and everyone  else, that she belongs in the professional ranks, competing against the best in the world.  

“It’s not totally unexpected,” said Frye. “The past couple of rounds have been frustrating.  I’ve had look after look, and I’m not really making much. So to have a day where it kind of  feels like the pieces fall into place, it is satisfying. I feel like the work is kind of paying off,  and hopefully, there’s a lot more of it.”  

Epson Tour veteran Clariss Guce is hot on Frye’s tail, just one shot behind the rookie, in  perfect striking distance for Saturday’s Moving Day. Guce’s round saw no blemishes on the  scorecard despite the day feeling di7icult for everyone due to the conditions.  

The Filipino went low on her front nine, the course’s back nine, making two birdies and a lone eagle on the par-5 15th, giving her a big confidence boost going into her most dreaded hole, No. 18.  

“It definitely made me feel better getting an eagle before I go up 18. I felt like as soon as I  got through 18, I could breathe a little bit,” said Guce. “But I think just having a good start  gives you a bit more breathing room, and it gives you the luxury just to be nicer to yourself  on the other nine when the weather is rough.”  

The closing nine consisted of eight pars and a birdie, marking a clean scorecard for Guce.  

Two Epson Tour winners, Gina Kim and Valery Plata, are sitting in third. The duo signed for  4-under rounds, with Kim going bogey-free and Plata making seven birdies and three  bogeys on the day. Knowing what it takes to win on the Official Qualifying Tour of the LPGA,  both athletes are strong contenders to make a move on Saturday.  

The second round will begin at 7:30 a.m. local time, with a cut being made to the top-60 and ties following play.  

COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS 

2nd: Clariss Guce 

• Signed for a 5-under first round 
• Bogey-free 
• Made three birdies and an eagle
• Has made five cuts in eight starts this season 
• Earned two top-10 finishes so far, including a season-best T3 at the IOA  Golf Classic presented by Aperture 
• Has won twice on the Epson Tour 
  • 2014 Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic 
  • 2014 Decatur-Forsyth Classic 
• Earned one career top-25 finish on the LPGA Tour 
• 2019 Indy Women in Tech Championship driven by Group 1001 

T3: Valery Plata and Gina Kim 

Plata 

• Carded seven birdies and three bogeys for a 4-under first round 
• Made three consecutive birdies on Nos. 4, 5 and 6 
• Has made seven cuts in eight starts this season 
• Earned two top-10 finishes, including a season-best 3rd at the Carlisle  Arizona Women’s Golf Classic 
• Has won once on the Epson Tour 
  • 2024 Central Florida Championship 
• No. 11 in the season-long Race for the Card rankings  

Kim 

• Signed for a 4-under first round 
• Bogey-free 
• Made four birdies 
• Has made eight consecutive cuts in 2025 
• Picked up two wins at the IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture and  Copper Rock Championship 
• One additional top-10 finish at the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic  (T9) 
• 3-time Epson Tour winner 
  • 2024 IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture 
  • 2024 Copper Rock Championship 
  • 2022 Inova Mission Inn Resort & Club Championship 
• One LPGA Tour career top-10 result T3 at the 2023 Portland Classic 

T5: Erika Hara, Yana Wilson, Isi Gabsa, and Lindsey McCurdy Peek

Hara 

• Carded a bogey-free, 3-under in round one 
• Made three birdies 
• 2025 Epson Tour rookie 
• Has made seven consecutive cuts 
• Earned three top-10 finishes 
  • T6 – Atlantic Beach Classic presented by Access Golf
  • T6 – IOA Championship
  • T7 – FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship 
• Earned a T16 result at the 2024 Honda LPGA Thailand 
• Two-time Japan Women’s Open Golf Championship winner: 2020 and 2023 

Wilson 

• Signed for a 3-under first round 
• Bogey-free 
• Made three birdies 
• 2025 Epson Tour Rookie 
• Four top-10 performances 
• One win on the Epson Tour:  2025 Reliance Matrix Championship presented by Epson where she shot 17-under 
• Has made seven consecutive cuts 
• No. 4 in the season-long Race for the Card 

Gabsa 

• Made five birdies and two bogeys for a 3-under first round 
• Has made five cuts in seven starts this season 
• Season-best finish is T21 at the IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture o Won the 2018 The Forsyth Classic presented by the Decatur Park District o Earned 14 additional top-10 Epson Tour finishes 
• Qualified for and competed in the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally but missed the cut 

McCurdy Peek 

• Signed for a 3-under first round 
• Made four birdies 
• Has made 6 cuts in 8 starts this season 
• Earned three top-10 finishes 
  • T5 – IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture 
  • T9 – Central Florida Championship 
  • T10 – Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic 
• No. 25 in the season-long Race for the Card 

A LOOK AT THE LEADER – LANEY FRYE

ABOUT THE LEADER: Laney Frye 

• Carded a 6-under opening round that consisted of seven birdies and one bogey o 2025 Epson Tour rookie 
• Has made seven consecutive cuts this season 
• Earned one top 10 finish, a T5 result at the Reliance Matrix Championship  presented by Vegas 
• Only has three finishes outside of the top 25 
• Played collegiate golf at the University of Kentucky 
• 2-time Augusta National Women’s Amateur participant 
  • 2024 – T30 
  • 2023 – MC 
• 3-time U.S. Women’s Amateur participant 
  • 2022 stroke play co-champion 
  • 2022-2023 Edith Cummings Munson Award winner 

QUOTABLE 

Gina Kim (-4, T3) on the Heather at the Highlands: 

“I think it’s a unique course. I think it’s got its own little niche to it. The greens are obviously rolling absolutely pure, and that’s something that I love to see. If we can get the flat stick rolling,  it’s always a good day. So it’s just been overall a really solid day for just every part of my game.  Nothing special, but good enough to get a good score out.” 

Valery Plata (-4, T3) on being back in Michigan and representing Michigan State University: “It’s awesome. There’s a lot of Spartans out here in Michigan. At Balle Creek, we had some out  here, there was quite a few. Some scorers had Spartan umbrellas out there, so it was fun. It’s  just really great. It feels like a second home, and it feels even better to play well here.” 

Lindsey McCurdy Peek (-3, T5) on a 3-under first round: 

“It was a tougher day just with cold and rain, and it was definitely different condinons than  practice rounds, but going into it being positive and just knowing that you’re going to make  mistakes, but there’s still birdies out there. I felt like we had a good game plan.”