3 top-20 Lopes help team finish 6th in Michigan

Sunday, September 28

Point O'Woods CC | Benton Harbor, Mich.

Grand Canyon

Jim DeLapa Collegiate

Photo by: Adam Mackey

9/29/2025 4:28:00 PM | Men's Golf

Results Photo Gallery

GCU freshman Nilsson leads way with 4-under score to tie for 7th

By: Nick Macdonald

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. – Grand Canyon's September included trips to New Mexico, Washington and Michigan, the latter being Monday's third round to conclude Jim DeLapa Collegiate at Point O'Woods Country Club.

News and notes

GCU placed sixth out of 13 teams at even par, shooting 1 over in Monday's third and final round.
Three Lopes finished in the top 20, led by freshman Daniel Nilsson at 4 under. Nilsson tied for seventh and went even par Monday, finishing the two-day event with 11 birdies that was highlighted by a first-round 64.
The Lopes had 178 pars, tied for most among the field, and 43 birdies.

"It was a great tournament by Daniel," GCU head coach Mark Mueller said. "Matt (sophomore Matthew Diehl) played very well, and we had great finish by (sophomore) Nixon (Lauritzen) in that third round. We played much better overall as a group than last tournament, and with 3 1/2 weeks between now and our next one, we will keep finding ways to get better every single day. I know the guys' motivation for the Cal Poly trip is very high."

Entering the day at 1 under and seventh overall, GCU played near eve- par golf over the course of the final 18 holes. Lauritzen paced the Lopes with a near-flawless final round, going 3 under with four birdies and only one bogey, jumping 17 spots up the leaderboard to finish tied for 19th.

Nilsson's impressive start to the season continued with his second top-10 finish of the fall, going even par Monday with three birdies. Nilsson's line for the week was 64/72/70 with a team-high six birdies in the first round.

Diehl recorded his second top-20 performance after a 4-over final round, finishing 1 under with a team-high 12 birdies for the tournament that tied for 10th most among all players.

GCU junior Gavin O'Neill competed in his first tournament of 2025-26 and tied for 41st at 5 over. O'Neill, who returns as the veteran of the squad with two NCAA Regional appearances, shot even par Monday with 10 pars and a birdie over his final 11 holes.

Lopes sophomore Erik Rengardt finished 59th at 12 over, while classmate Mans Boje tied for 34th at 4 over as an individual entry.

GCU takes three weeks off before concluding the fall season on Oct. 27-28 in Carmel Valley, California, for The Preserve Golf Club Collegiate.