Chanen claims WAC title

Monday, April 29

Lakewood, Wash.

10 a.m.

Grand Canyon

WAC Championship

Photo by: Joe Whiteside

4/29/2019 3:39:00 PM | Men's Golf

Lopes finish runner-up to UMKC in Washington

By: Mark Oshidari

RESULTS

LAKEWOOD, Wash. – Junior Jake Chanen of the Grand Canyon men's golf team claimed medalist honors at the WAC Championship by edging out junior teammate Michael Salazar on Monday at Oakbrook Golf Club.

"I'm really proud of the guys, how hard they fought today," GCU head coach Mark Mueller said. "They got it back to even with a few holes remaining. We dug ourselves a hole after the first round, which was tough to come back from. Round 2 was solid and obviously round 3, they did exactly what we were hoping for. We started strong, but fell a little short in the end."

The Lopes started the day trailing Kansas City by seven shots and closed the gap quickly. GCU led by one shot with four holes remaining, but a tough 17th hole allowed the Roos to repeat as WAC champs and earn a NCAA regional spot.

UMKC finished with an 853 total, followed by GCU (857) and Seattle (868). The Lopes were the only team to fire an under-par team score during the final round. GCU also finished as WAC runner-up to UMKC by four strokes last year.

Salazar finished runner-up with a final-round 68, including a 14th-hole eagle, to be one stroke shy of Chanen, who won by playing 3 under par over three rounds. Chanen was tied for eighth after the first round but used a 4-under-par second round to enter the final round in the lead.

Chanen becomes the second Lopes player in three years to win WAC medalist honors after GCU's Vinnie Murphy won the 2017 WAC Championship.

Lopes junior Trevor Lampson finished tied for sixth place (215), while senior Filip Lundell (224) finished in a tie for 24th place. Freshman Matthew Braley got better each round, finishing with an even-par 71 toi tie for 28th place (225).

"Jake, Mike and Trevor played very well today," Mueller said. "We look forward to Jake playing well in regionals and having a great senior season next year."

With his conference tournament victory, Chanen receives a preferred invitation to compete in a regional event of the NCAA Championships as an individual. The teams and individuals will be announced Wednesday on the Golf Channel at 6 p.m.