GCU ties for 4th at Hoakalei CC Invitational

Monday, October 25

'Ewa Beach, Manoa, Hawaii / HOAKALEI COUNTRY CLUB

Grand Canyon

Hoakalei CC Invitational

10/25/2021 9:35:00 PM | Men's Golf

Lopes trio cracks top 25; Cristoni fires final-round 70 to tie for 12th

By: Kellie Reynolds

EWA BEACH, Hawai'i – The Grand Canyon men's golf team closed out the Hoakalei CC Invitational in a tie for fourth place with WAC opponent Utah Valley on Tuesday. Both squads finished the invitational at 9 over par.

Three Lopes managed to crack into the top 25 with the remaining two being in the top 45.

GCU freshman Matteo Cristoni jumped 11 spots on Tuesday after having his best round on the Hoakalei Country Club course, shooting 2 under par with five birdies in his final round. Cristoni ended the invitational at even and tied for 12th place.

Lopes graduate student Zac Owens struggled in his final round in Hawai'i but managed to tied for 16th at 3 over par.

Moving up four spots and producing his best round of the invitational was junior Matthew Braley, who shot 1 over par in his final round. He finished at 5 over par, placing him 24th after 54 holes.

GCU freshman Sam Murphy also moved up three spots after his final round. Murphy finished the invitational tied for 29th at 6 over par. The Ireland native had his second-best round in the third round of play, finishing 1 over par.

The final Lope was graduate student Jacob Lackey, who tied for 42nd place after shooting a 75 in the third round of play. Lackey managed to score four birdies in his third round in Hawai'i.

Owens, Cristoni enter final day in top 25

GCU moved into sixth place after Monday's first two rounds of the 15-team Hoakalei CC Invitational in Hawai'i. After 36 holes, the Lopes were just two strokes behind WAC opponent Utah Valley and six strokes ahead of Abilene Christian.

The Lopes enter Tuesday's final round at Hoakalei County Club with two players in the top 25. Owens is the top scorer for GCU, as he is tied for eighth place at 2 under par. Owens shot a 74 in the first round of the day, but came back with five birdies for a second-round 68.

Cristoni tied for 23rd after finishing the first day at 2 over par. Cristoni, who is from Italy, jumped two spots from the opening round after shooting an even-par 72 in his second round with four birdies.

Braley ended the day tied for 28th after he produced back-to-back scores of 74 at Hoakalei Country Club. Braley managed seven birdies and an eagle on 4-over-par day.

The final two Lopes, Murphy, and Lackey, each ended the day at 5 over par to be in a tie for 32nd. Murphy jumped 24 spots from his opening round, going from shooting a 77 and to finishing his second round with a birdie to card a 72. Lackey shot rounds of 74 and 75 on the 7,099-yard course.