RYE, N.Y. – Mississippi State’s Valeria Mendizabal is through to the Round of 32 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur after winning her first match 2-and-1 over Kentucky’s Laney Frye on Wednesday.

A pair of birdies at the turn gave the Guatemalan control of the match. Frye opened with a birdie on the first tee to take a one-hole lead, but Mendizabal tied the match on Hole 5. She then quickly took a lead on the sixth tee when Frye bogeyed the hole and would never trail again.

“This is really fun to see Val having success this week at the U.S. Amateur,” head coach Charlie Ewing said. “She’s playing with so much freedom, and I’m not sure anybody is enjoying themselves on the golf course more than she is right now. It’s a great testament to how important mindset is to performance.”

Mendizabal extended her lead with birdies on Holes 9 and 10, building a 3-up advantage to start the back nine. The pair split Holes 12 and 13 before Frye began mounting a comeback. Frye birdied Hole 14, and Mendizabal carded a bogey on Hole 15 to see her lead trimmed to 1-up.

The Bulldog senior won the 16th tee, and the pair tied on the 17th to give Mendizabal the 2-and-1 victory.

“She’s a great player, and she’s earned herself a fantastic opportunity by reaching the Round of 32,” Ewing added. “The whole Mississippi State family is behind her as she continues her run.”

Mendizabal will match up with Michigan State’s Valentina Rossi in the Round of 32 on Thursday, Aug. 5 at 6:10 a.m. CT. Rossi won a playoff hole in her Round of 64 match after being tied through 18.

 

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