Lopes' 7-under score outplays 12 teams for GCU Invitational title
By: Paul Coro
With the expectations for a home tournament win that had not happened since 2022, the Grand Canyon women's golf team stared down a 10-stroke deficit about midway through the event and adhered to a process that is not predicated on wins.
Swing by swing and hole by hole, the Lopes seek improvement as a path to their goals. Over Tuesday and Wednesday, that process progressed them to the top of the GCU invitational field.
The Lopes rallied to take a two-stroke lead entering Wednesday's final round, when GCU pulled away for the team title with a 12-stroke advantage over runner-up UC Irvine in a 13-team field at GCU Golf Course.
The Lopes' 7-under-par score grabbed their first tournament win under first-year head coach Brent Nicoson and assistant coach Leila Haines after they came close in the fall with a second-place finish to USC in Washington and a third-place showing in Hawaii.
"Winning our home tournament is obviously one that's always a special thing to do it in front of your home crowd and at your home golf course," Nicoson said. "There were a lot of people out supporting us. I'm happy for the players. It is fun to get that first one, and now we can just start rolling."
Â
Haines and Rosholt
Each Lopes lineup player finished in the top 20 with four carding top-10 finishes, highlighted by graduate Calynne Rosholt tying for first place in regulation at 6 under and sophomore Jess Haines placing third at 3 under.
Â
Indicative of her strong putting all tournament, Rosholt dropped 15- and 10-foot putts to match birdies on the first two playoff holes. Montana State's Lauren Greeny won the medalist honor on the third playoff hole.
It was the highest tournament finish of Rosholt's collegiate career, even though she did not know she was the two-round leader until it was mentioned to her Wednesday morning. She played just as steady, finishing each round with a 2-under 70.
"It feels really good, especially since I put like three solid rounds together," said Rosholt, an Arizona State transfer. "Sometimes, I can play one really, really good round and then one bad round and then a medium round.
"I feel like I'm building into the spring. I'm gaining like a lot of confidence back."
 Haines, a native of England, opened the tournament with the first bogey-free round of her career Tuesday and finished three strokes back of the co-leaders for third place at 3 under. She recorded the least amount of bogeys (five) among 76 participants.
Â
"I got off to a good start, and that got me going," Haines said. "Then in the second round, it was just pretty solid again. I managed to hit more greens than what I have been doing, which always helps. A few putts were dropping, so it always helps the card when that happens. It was just a pretty solid week."
GCU was missing one of its top players, injured senior Alyzzah Vakasiuola, but senior Anci Dy and junior Lena Tremouille stepped up to tie for 10th place at 2 over. Sophomore Brenna Preap shot 4 over to tie for 20th and contributed to the score with an even-par first round.
"Sometimes it's easier to go on the road because you can just concentrate on golf," Nicoson said. "Here, you still have stuff going on around you and then there is pressure. If you're a good team, you're supposed to defend your home turf. Sometimes, it's harder. I'm proud of them because we came back."
"I'm really excited about moving into the spring and seeing what run we can go on."
When the tournament ended, Nicoson huddled his team on the 18th green to remind them to enjoy their victory because of how hard it is to outplay 12 teams for a tournament win.
Haines she started the tournament with an odd feeling for playing a practice round on the Lopes' home course but ultimately found it comforting. She also has the perspective of coming from a freshman year at UIndy under Nicoson to a two-day tournament of golf in 80-degree weather.
"We didn't get onto the course until a couple week before our first tournament," Haines said. "So being able to play in this weather in January and February is just amazing. It's such a good opportunity, and we've got great facilities here to progress our game."
Haines, a native of England, opened the tournament with the first bogey-free round of her career Tuesday and finished three strokes back of the co-leaders for third place at 3 under. She recorded the least amount of bogeys (five) among 76 participants.
GCU was missing one of its top players, injured senior Alyzzah Vakasiuola, but senior Anci Dy and junior Lena Tremouille stepped up to tie for 10th place at 2 over. Sophomore Brenna Preap shot 4 over to tie for 20th and contributed to the score with an even-par first round.
