Lopes conclude play at Coeur d’Alene Invitational

Sunday, September 18

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Grand Canyon

Coeur d’Alene Collegiate Invitational

Photo by: Skyler Coblentz

9/18/2022 3:15:00 PM | Women's Golf

Final Results

GCU places 7th out of 19 teams in season opener

By: Nick Macdonald

COEUR d'ALENE, Idaho – The Grand Canyon women's golf team completed the three-day Coeur d'Alene Collegiate Invitational on Tuesday, totaling a three-day score of 29 over par for seventh place out of 19 schools.

The Lopes stayed in the top 10 after each round throughout the season-opening event, placing as high as sixth place following Monday's second round. Of the three WAC schools in competition, GCU placed the highest ahead of Seattle and Southern Utah.

Junior Constanza Guerrero finished at the top of the Lopes' leaderboard, shooting a three-day total 220 for 7 over and a tie for 31st. Guerrero's highlight was an even-par Monday round that put her in the top 25 entering the final day.

GCU freshman Ryan Flynn placed right behind Guerrero at 8 over. Flynn completed her first collegiate tournament, including a 1-under round on Monday to be one of 20 golfers to finish under par for that day out of the 99-player field.

Junior Becca Tschetter had the best final round for the Lopes, shooting 1 over to finish 9 over for the tournament. Tschetter began the tournament 6 over after Sunday before finding a rhythm over the last two days for a tie at 38th place.

Junior Lani Luafalealo and senior Carmen Belmonte placed tied for 45th and 56th, respectively. Luafalealo recorded an 11-over tournament while Belmonte carded a 13 over.

The Lopes are back on the course Monday in the Colonel Wollenberg Ptarmigan Ram Classic in Fort Collins, Colorado. The tournament consists of three rounds over two days.

Round 2 recap

GCU shot a second-round score of 3-over-par 287, a seven-shot improvement over Sunday's first round. The Lopes are two strokes back of CSU Fullerton for fifth place heading into the final day of competition on Tuesday.

Flynn has shined in her collegiate debut and moved up nine spots from Sunday as she carded a second round of 1-under 70. Flynn started her day on hole No. 6 and was 2 over par through her first ten holes before going on a tear. The Truckee, California, native recorded four birdies over a five-hole stretch, including three straight on Nos. 1 through 3.

Guerrero moved up one spot from Sunday and shot a second-round score of even-par 71.

All five Lopes in competition enter Tuesday's final round in the top 50 of the tournament's 99 players. Belmonte and Luafalealo are tied for 44th at 7 over, while Tschetter is tied for 50th at 8 over.

Play concludes Tuesday morning with final-round action beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Round 1 recap

The three-day event at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course began with Luafalealo pacing the Lopes with a 1-over-par score of 72, which is tied for 16th among a field of 99 golfers. Luafalealo birdied two of her final five holes to climb the leaderboard.

Flynn and Guerrero sit right behind Luafalealo with scores of 73 (2 over) that tied them for 24th place. Flynn, a native of Truckee, California, is competing in her first collegiate tournament.

Belmonte carded a 5-over 76 while Tschetter shot a 6-over 77. The two are in ties for 63rd and 71st, respectively.

GCU is at 10 over par as a team, 10 strokes behind leader Sacramento State with two rounds remaining.

Day 2 begins Monday at 8 a.m. (Phoenix time) followed by the final round Tuesday at 7:30 a.m.