Lopes take 2nd at Red Rocks Invitational

Saturday, March 18

Sedona, Ariz.

Grand Canyon

Red Rocks Invitational

3/18/2023 8:01:00 PM | Women's Golf

Scoreboard

GCU's 4th straight top-3 finish led by Guerrero placing 11th

By: Nick Macdonald

SEDONA, Ariz. – Since the start of the spring campaign in early February, the Grand Canyon women's golf team has been consistently near the top of leaderboards entering the final rounds of competitions. The Red Rocks Invitational third round was no different, as the Lopes pulled out a second-place showing at the Oakcreek Country Club for its fourth straight top-three placement.

GCU carded a team round of 6 over par on Sunday for a 54-hole total of 20 over par, just four strokes back from team champion Navy.

The Lopes concluded first-round play Saturday in the middle of the pack, carding a team score of 303 (15 over par) to tie for 11th place. The Lopes bounced back with a 1-under team score in the second round, the only under-par round by any team through 36 holes. It entered Sunday in third place and in striking distance of the lead, just six shots back of first-place Delaware and two back from second-place Gonzaga.

Junior Constanza Guerrero led the Lopes on Sunday with an even-par final round and finished 4 over par for the tournament in a tie for 11th place. It is the third straight top-15 finish for the Huelva, Spain, native, coming off a seventh-place finish in the GCU Invitational and a co-champion showing at the Jackrabbit Invitational. Guerrero opened her day with a double bogey but quickly made up for it with an eagle on the sixth hole. She then birdied hole Nos. 7 and 12 for the even scorecard.

Two shots back of Guerrero was freshman Ryan Flynn, who carded a 5-over tournament. Flynn shot a 2-over Sunday and was critical piece in the comeback for the Lopes as she shot 3 under to tie for hte lower second-round score in the 104-player field. She recorded 12 birdies for the tournament, as GCU tied for most birdies with Navy at 43.

Junior Carly Strole, senior Carmen Belmonte and junior Becca Tschetter all finished in the top 30 for the Lopes, with Strole tied for 18th (6 over), Belmonte tied for 23rd (8 over) and Tschetter tied for 29th (9 over). All three finished in a tie for 15th after 36 holes as the trio combined for six birdies with only one double bogey on Sunday. Sophomore Kailey Bass also competed as an individual and tied for 85th.

GCU takes a week off before heading out to Fresno, California, to participate in the Fresno State Classic. First- and second-round play begins March 27 with the third round on March 28.

Day 1 recap

The Grand Canyon women's golf team entered this weekend's Red Rocks Invitational with three straight top-three finishes, and after finishing round one with a team score of 15 over par, put itself in good position to continue that streak by roaring back to third place with a second round of 1 under at the Oakcreek Country Club.

GCU is 14 over park through 36 holes, one stroke above fourth-place Navy and two back from secon- place Gonzaga. Delaware leads the field of 20 teams with a 6-over scorecard.

The team score of 1 under par in the second round was the only under par card for the tournament. Freshman Ryan Flynn climbed back from a 6-over first round and recorded a 3-under second round with seven birdies. She's tied for 10th at 3 over for the tournament, with her score of 69 tied for lowest among the 105-player field.

GCU registered an average score of 2.07 on par 3s, ranking best of the 20 schools competing. It also tied for fourth in par-4 scoring (2.81) and tied for fifth in par-5 scoring (3.28).

The Lopes have a trio of players tied for 15th at 4 over par in Guerrero, Strole and Belmonte. The three combined for seven birdies in the second round, with Belmonte finishing even par for the second round.

Tschetter is tied for 31st at 7 over. Tschetter regrouped from a 6-over first round and carded a 1-over second round that included three birdies, including two over her final four holes. Bass also competed as an individualist and is tied for 82nd at 15 over.