Completed Event: Men's Golf at N.I.T. on January 26, 2026 , , 11th of 13
M Golf
at N.I.T.
11th of 13
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
O’Neill’s 64 powers GCU to 2nd on NGI's 1st day
5/22/2026 3:48:00 PM | Men's Golf
Lopes junior Irishman finishes 1 stroke off program record
MARICOPA, Ariz. – Friday marked the final first day of the 2025-26 season for the Grand Canyon men's golf team with the National Golf Invitational first round at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in nearby Maricopa.
GCU played par to the weather and under par for the course, totaling a 17-under scorecard to put itself second out of 10 teams and one shot back of Missouri, which is ranked just three spots higher than the Lopes nationally at 89.
The NGI serves as the fourth consecutive postseason golf tournament for the Lopes, with the grand prize for the individual winner taking home more than a trophy. The individual winner of the 2026 NGI will punch a ticket to the PGA Tour's Butterfield Bermuda Championship on Oct. 22-26 at Port Royal Golf Course in Southhampton, Bermuda. Notable PGA players who competed in last year's edition include Alex Smalley, Camilo Villegas, Seamus Power, Matti Schmid, Sahith Theegala, Brandt Snedeker and Matt Kuchar.
GCU junior Gavin O'Neill made his early claim to earn that PGA tournament exemption, shooting a career-low 64 with nine birdies to just one bogey. O'Neill came out of the gate with birdies on holes 1-3 and finished the front nine at 4 under. It only got better from there as the Irishman birdied five of his last six holes, including four straight from Holes 13-16.
O'Neill's lone blemish came on the par-3 17th with a bogey that left him just one stroke shy of the program's single round low of 63, held by multiple Lopes and most recently teammate Nixon Lauritzen last season at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes.
O'Neill is tied for first with Wyoming's Brody Leid and is one of three Lopes in the top 10 after Day 1.
Joining him are GCU sophomores Måns Boje and Lauritzen, who carded 4-under totals, both of whom tallied an eagle and tied for ninth. Boje had just one bogey for his round and went 3 under on the back nine, while Lauritzen had four birdies with 2-under showings on the front and back.
Lopes sophomore Matthew Diehl went 1 under (tied for 20th) with three birdies, two bogeys and 13 pars, while classmate Erik Rengardt is tied for 36th at 1 over.
GCU's 23 birdies rank third iin the field, and the Lopes are one of three teams with multiple eagles.
Second-round tee times begin Saturday at 9:25 a.m.
GCU played par to the weather and under par for the course, totaling a 17-under scorecard to put itself second out of 10 teams and one shot back of Missouri, which is ranked just three spots higher than the Lopes nationally at 89.
The NGI serves as the fourth consecutive postseason golf tournament for the Lopes, with the grand prize for the individual winner taking home more than a trophy. The individual winner of the 2026 NGI will punch a ticket to the PGA Tour's Butterfield Bermuda Championship on Oct. 22-26 at Port Royal Golf Course in Southhampton, Bermuda. Notable PGA players who competed in last year's edition include Alex Smalley, Camilo Villegas, Seamus Power, Matti Schmid, Sahith Theegala, Brandt Snedeker and Matt Kuchar.
GCU junior Gavin O'Neill made his early claim to earn that PGA tournament exemption, shooting a career-low 64 with nine birdies to just one bogey. O'Neill came out of the gate with birdies on holes 1-3 and finished the front nine at 4 under. It only got better from there as the Irishman birdied five of his last six holes, including four straight from Holes 13-16.
O'Neill's lone blemish came on the par-3 17th with a bogey that left him just one stroke shy of the program's single round low of 63, held by multiple Lopes and most recently teammate Nixon Lauritzen last season at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes.
O'Neill is tied for first with Wyoming's Brody Leid and is one of three Lopes in the top 10 after Day 1.
Joining him are GCU sophomores Måns Boje and Lauritzen, who carded 4-under totals, both of whom tallied an eagle and tied for ninth. Boje had just one bogey for his round and went 3 under on the back nine, while Lauritzen had four birdies with 2-under showings on the front and back.
Lopes sophomore Matthew Diehl went 1 under (tied for 20th) with three birdies, two bogeys and 13 pars, while classmate Erik Rengardt is tied for 36th at 1 over.
GCU's 23 birdies rank third iin the field, and the Lopes are one of three teams with multiple eagles.
Second-round tee times begin Saturday at 9:25 a.m.
Players Mentioned
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