Golf in Sixth After Two Rounds at the GCU Invitational

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Feb. 25, 2025) – The Northern Arizona women's golf team completed the first two rounds of the GCU Invitational today, shooting rounds of 296 (+8) and 294 (+6) for a 590 (+14) total, placing them in sixth.

In the morning round, junior Lizzie Neale led the Lumberjacks with an even-par 72. Teeing off in shotgun format on the par-four fifth hole, she got off to a steady start, parring her first two holes before making a birdie on the par-five seventh. Another birdie dropped on the par-three 11th hole, followed by 10 consecutive pars. However, a double bogey on her final hole, the par-four fourth, brought her back to even par.

In the afternoon round, Neale made another two birdies - once again on the par-four seventh, and the par-five 10th. She recorded 12 pars and finished with a 75 (+3), bringing her 54-hole total to 147 (+3), tying her for 22nd place.

Sophomore Frankie Dezis started on hole seven. Over the first 18 holes, she made four birdies, including back-to-back ones on the par-four ninth and par-five 10th. She also birdied the 14th and 17th holes, finishing the first round with a 74 (+2).

Dezis matched her first-round score in the afternoon, shooting another 74 (+2). She birdied holes three and nine again while making 12 pars. Her total of 148 (+4) puts her in a tie for 27th place.

Junior Ellena Slater carded 15 pars in the morning round but went birdie-free, finishing with a 75 (+3).

She rebounded in the afternoon as the lowest-scoring Lumberjack in the lineup, recording four birdies on holes seven, 13, 15, and 18. Adding 10 pars, she shot an even-par 72. Slater is tied for 22nd with Neale at 147 (+3).

Freshman Sumin Kang posted 13 pars in the morning, along with a birdie on the par-five 10th hole. Teeing off on hole six, she made six consecutive pars to close out her round at 75 (+3).

In the second round, Kang birdied her first hole and added another on hole 18. She improved by two strokes from her morning score, recording another 13 pars for a 73 (+1). Her 148 (+4) total ties her for 27th with Dezis.

Sophomore Amy Hodgkins began on hole four and posted birdies on the seventh and par-four 15th, finishing the morning round with a 77 (+5).

She improved in the second round with a 75 (+3), making four birdies on holes three, six, 15, and 18. Her total of 152 (+8) places her in a tie for 41st individually.

Competing as an individual, freshman Ava Bates teed off on hole 12 and made an impressive six birdies, including back-to-back on her final two holes, the 10th and 11th. She recorded the first under-par round of the tournament for the Lumberjacks, finishing with a 71 (-1).

In the second round, Bates went birdie-free, recording 11 pars for a 79 (+7). She sits tied for 32nd heading into the final round.

Also competing individually, junior Nina Lukyanenko was the top-finishing Lumberjack. Teeing off on the eighth hole, she birdied her first hole of the day and went on to make five total birdies, including one on the 11th and an impressive three in a row on holes one, two, and three. She closed the first round with an even-par 72.

In the second round, she remained even-par through her first nine holes, with a birdie on 11 and a bogey on 16. She added two more birdies on the par-four 17th and the par-five third hole, finishing with a 73 (+1). With a total score of 145 (+1), Lukyanenko is tied for 13th place on the leaderboard.

Leading the tournament are the hosts, Grand Canyon who posted team scores of 284 (-4) and 287 (-1) for a 571 (-5) finish. Individually, GCU's Calynne Rosholt leads by one stroke after two rounds of 70 for a -4 finish.

The final round will begin tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time with another shotgun start. Live scoring will be available through Golf Genius.

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NAU Individual Scores
T13    Nina Lukyanenko 72+73=145 (+1)*
T22    Lizzie Neale 72+75=147 (+3)
T22    Ellena Slater 75+72=147 (+3)
T27    Sumin Kang 75+73=148 (+4)
T27    Frankie Dezis 74+74=148 (+4)
T32    Ava Bates 71+79=150 (+6)*
T41    Amy Hodgkins 77+75=152 (+8)
*competing as individuals

Full Results
1    Grand Canyon -5
2    UC Irvine -3
3    Findlay +7
4    UTEP +9
5    Montana State +12
6    Northern Arizona +14
7    Northern Illinois +20
8    UC Riverside +22
9    Murray State +23
10    Northern Colorado +24
11    Houston Christian +30
12    Idaho +33
13    UC Bakersfield +40