GCU claims top-10 finish in stacked field in Hawaii

Thursday, February 13

Ocean Course Hokuala | Lihue, Kaua'i

Grand Canyon

John A. Burns Intercollegiate

Photo by: Ocean Course at Hokuala

2/15/2025 6:59:00 PM | Men's Golf

Final Results Photo Gallery

Lopes finish 9th with Diehl, Zorzetto tying for 25th

By: Nick Macdonald

LIHUE, Hawaii - In a field with seven of the Clippd Scoreboard national rankings' top 50 teams, Grand Canyon finished ninth out of 17 team at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate at Ocean Course Hokuala.

The Lopes carded a team score of 8 over par, with an even-par third round. After a 14-over first round, GCU settled in with a 6-under second round and jumped two spots to ninth by Saturday's conclusion of the 54-hole tournament.

Utah and UNLV, ranked 16th and 41st in the rankings, respectively, each shot 22 under to claim the tournament trophy as co-champions.

GCU freshman Matthew Diehl shot 2 over in his final round, going even for the tournament with 13 birdies. Diehl had his best collegiate round Friday with a 5-under 65 and placed 25th out of a field of 102 golfers. Diehl had three birdies on his front nine Saturday and finished the day with a birdie, helping GCU record the fifth-most birds (54) in the field.

GCU graduate Tommaso Zorzetto tied Diehl at even par as an individual entry. Zorzetto had four birdies over a six-hole stretch, including three straight on holes 1-2-3. He finished Saturday with a 1-under 69.

Lopes senior Kiko Coelho placed 38th, jumping 12 spots with a 1-under Saturday and a 3-over total card. Coelho had six pars, two birdies and one bogey over his final nine holes.

Making the biggest jump of the day was GCU junior Sam Murphy, who shot a team-best final round of 2 under and placed 49th at 5 over for the tournament. Murphy began Saturday with a birdie on hole 10 and also birdied holes 14,15 and 16.

Lopes sophomore Gavin O'Neill placed 51st at 6 over par, followed freshman Nixon Lauritzen in 62nd at 8 over.

The Lopes take three weeks off before venturing out to nearby Scottsdale to partake in the Desert Mountain Intercollegiate at Desert Mountain Outlaw on March 8-9. It then hosts the annual GCU Invitational on March 11-12 at GCU Golf Course.