Upcoming Event: Men's Golf at William H. Tucker Intercollegiate on September 19, 2025
M Golf
at William H. Tucker Intercollegiate
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Lopes open WAC in 2nd with O’Neill 1 shot off lead in Payson
4/25/2025 5:19:00 PM | Men's Golf
4 GCU players' 1st rounds make top 15 as O’Neill shoots even
PAYSON, Ariz. – No. 1 seed Grand Canyon began its quest for a WAC Championship three-peat Friday at the Golf Club at Chaparral Pines by carding a 5-over-par score for second place with two rounds remaining.
GCU, which won the 2023 title in Boulder City, Nevada, and the 2024 title at Chaparral Pines, trails leader Seattle U by three strokes. The Lopes hold a four-stroke advantage over third-place Tarleton State and will tee off with those teams at 10:10 a.m. Saturday.
GCU fluctuated between birdie-heavy and par-and-bogey stints to begin first-round play. The Lopes opened with seven birdies over their first 25 combined holes and then converted only one birdie over their next 20 holes on the front nine.
But familiarity becomes key to a course that GCU played in last year's tournament. Lopes sophomore Gavin O'Neill, who finished best among all freshmen in last year's WAC Championship, tallied an even-par card with a team-high five birdies to sit one shot back of the overall lead.
O'Neill's poise came into play after a double bogey on the par-3 sixth hole, where he overshot the green and had to walk back to hit his tee shot, counting as his third stroke. The Irishman followed that hole with five consecutive pars and a birdie on No. 12, going 1 under on the back nine.
GCU freshman Nixon Lauritzen is one back of O'Neill at 1 over, recording three birdies and an even front nine. Playing in his first WAC Championship, Lauritzen found his groove between holes 6-12, going 2 under with no bogeys.
Another first-time WAC Championship participant is Lopes freshman Matthew Diehl, who is tied for 10th at 2 over par with graduate teammate Tommaso Zorzetto. Diehl began 3 over on the front but rallied back with three birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back for a 1-under back nine. Zorzetto, who helped clinch GCU's title a year ago, came out of the gates with three birdies over his first five holes.
Lopes senior Kiko Coelho is tied for 18th at 3 over, putting all five Lopes in the top 20 after the first round. Coelho had one birdie, one bogey and 10 pars over his final 12 holes.
GCU is tied for the second-most birdies in the field with 17 and leads the tournament in par-4 scoring at 1 over. O'Neill's par-4 scorecard came up clutch down the stretch, totaling a 3-under score on such holes to share that category lead among 45 golfers.
The second round is set to begin Saturday at 8:30 a.m., with GCU set to tee off at 10:10 a.m.
GCU, which won the 2023 title in Boulder City, Nevada, and the 2024 title at Chaparral Pines, trails leader Seattle U by three strokes. The Lopes hold a four-stroke advantage over third-place Tarleton State and will tee off with those teams at 10:10 a.m. Saturday.
GCU fluctuated between birdie-heavy and par-and-bogey stints to begin first-round play. The Lopes opened with seven birdies over their first 25 combined holes and then converted only one birdie over their next 20 holes on the front nine.
But familiarity becomes key to a course that GCU played in last year's tournament. Lopes sophomore Gavin O'Neill, who finished best among all freshmen in last year's WAC Championship, tallied an even-par card with a team-high five birdies to sit one shot back of the overall lead.
O'Neill's poise came into play after a double bogey on the par-3 sixth hole, where he overshot the green and had to walk back to hit his tee shot, counting as his third stroke. The Irishman followed that hole with five consecutive pars and a birdie on No. 12, going 1 under on the back nine.
GCU freshman Nixon Lauritzen is one back of O'Neill at 1 over, recording three birdies and an even front nine. Playing in his first WAC Championship, Lauritzen found his groove between holes 6-12, going 2 under with no bogeys.
Another first-time WAC Championship participant is Lopes freshman Matthew Diehl, who is tied for 10th at 2 over par with graduate teammate Tommaso Zorzetto. Diehl began 3 over on the front but rallied back with three birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back for a 1-under back nine. Zorzetto, who helped clinch GCU's title a year ago, came out of the gates with three birdies over his first five holes.
Lopes senior Kiko Coelho is tied for 18th at 3 over, putting all five Lopes in the top 20 after the first round. Coelho had one birdie, one bogey and 10 pars over his final 12 holes.
GCU is tied for the second-most birdies in the field with 17 and leads the tournament in par-4 scoring at 1 over. O'Neill's par-4 scorecard came up clutch down the stretch, totaling a 3-under score on such holes to share that category lead among 45 golfers.
The second round is set to begin Saturday at 8:30 a.m., with GCU set to tee off at 10:10 a.m.
Players Mentioned
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