HOT SPRINGS, Arkansas – Hard work pays off.
Following Grand Canyon University Club Golf's perfect 3-0 record in the Desert Region of the National Collegiate Club Golf Association this spring, the No. 4 nationally ranked Lopes headed to the Hot Springs Country Club Golf Course for NCCGA Nationals, where they continued to outplay most of their opponents, placing fourth out of the 28 teams who qualified.
The Lopes' top individual performer,
David Charos, placed 19
th out of 224 competitors, finishing eight strokes over par.
The course featured some gusty winds throughout the two-day tournament. Finishing the first round in a three-way tie for sixth place, GCU remained in striking distance of the title.
"The guys played great despite the weather conditions," said GCU Head Coach
Alec Dahlquist. "The course here is demanding - even without the wind - but our team stayed solid."
Led by Charos, who jumped a whopping 39 spots in the standings between Rounds 1 and 2, the Lopes pushed their way to fourth place by the end of the tournament. As a team, they shot 50-over-par.
GCU golfers
Nick Roberts,
Casey Jacobson, and
Alex Brown joined Charos as top-50 finishers, placing 23
rd, 32
nd, and 40
th, respectively.
"Obviously, we were hoping for the win," said Dahlquist. "But to come out and place 4
th? It's still a great finish."
Final NCCGA 2022 Spring National Championship Team Results:
| Rank |
Team Name |
Total Score |
| 1 |
NC State |
753 |
| 2 |
Univ. of Florida |
753 |
| 3 |
Virginia Tech |
761 |
| 4 |
Grand Canyon |
770 |
| 5 |
Univ. of Tampa |
772 |
"Our coaching staff is proud of the way the team has performed all year," said Dahlquist. "They have put in a ton of work. We're looking forward to a summer of more practice and hoping to capture the big win next season."
