Webb ties career best; All five Lopes in the mix at WAC Tourney

Friday, April 28

Mesa, Ariz.

Grand Canyon

WAC Championships

Webb ties career best; All five Lopes in the mix at WAC Tourney

4/28/2017 4:05:00 PM | Men's Golf

By: Mark Oshidari

MESA, Ariz. - The Grand Canyon men's golf team battled some strong wind gusts to shoot the top first-round score of the Western Athletic Conference Championship at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa.

"The boys played great today," said head coach Mark Mueller. "It was an all around team effort, they really fought at the end and battled it out. I was very pleased by the effort at the end of the round."

The top GCU round of the day went to senior Hayden Webb. Playing in the No. 5 slot, Webb tied a career-best, shooting a 2-under par 69. Webb was 1-under par on each nine as he sits in a tie for second-place, just one shot back of the lead.

"Hayden was awesome today, what a round," said Mueller. "Matty really grinded out a round today and hung tough. Billy had a bad start but really battled back for two over. Jake was solid all day... really looking forward to see what he does tomorrow. Vinnie was just Vinnie today with really good stuff. Few putts drop for him tomorrow and he will be right there."

Webb's 69 out of the No. 5 position was six shots better than any other No. 5 player during first-round action.

Only three players recorded rounds under par. Seattle's Kyle Cornett leads all players after a 68. Mike McGilton of NM State tied Webb with a 69.

As a team, the Lopes had four players in the top-7. Vinnie Murphy shot an even-par 71, while Billy Comeaux and Jake Chanen both fired 2-over par 73s.

Murphy had a GCU-high five birdies on the day and is in a tie for fourth-place.

Matt McClung shot a respectable 74, which is just outside the top-10 in 11^th place.

"I really loved what I saw today from the guys and we are looking forward to getting after it tomorrow, said Mueller. We just want to compete."

While not eligible to win the team title due to NCAA transition rules, the Lopes top-4 shot a first-round total of 286. A 286 total would lead the tournament, ahead of Seattle (290), Utah Valley (295), UMKC (298), NM State (299), UTRGV (302), CSUB (322) and Chicago State (332).

Day two of the three day WAC Championship resumes tomorrow at Longbow Golf Club. GCU will be the first groups of tee times to tee off during the second round. GCU will tee off between 8:00-8:32am.