Riley Smyth, the 25-year-old from North Carolina who played her college golf at Virginia, won for the second time on the Epson Tour in 2025 with a one-stroke victory over Laney Frye at the Great Lakes Championship at the Highlands presented by Johnnie Walker.
After a pedestrian opening round of even par 72, Smyth put on a show over the weekend with dueling rounds of -6 66. On Saturday, she made six birdies an eagle and two bogeys, and Sunday she had seven birdies with just one bogey. She made a pair of clutch ones down the stretch on 15 and 16 to open up a lead.
Smyth’s approach play on the final two days was a major factor in her low scores, as she hit 29/36 greens over the last two rounds.
This was Smyth’s second win and third top-10 of the year after a win in her first event of the year in Florida. She has also made seven cuts and has three additional top 30 finishes. With all of her success, she has moved up to No. 2 in the Race for the Card Standings.
Smyth is the second player to reach multiple wins on the Epson Tour this season, along with Gina Kim. Because of her fast start in the first half of the year, she looks poised to earn her LPGA Tour card for the 2026 season.
