Oilers, Lakers Lead After Opening Round of 2025 Folds of Honor Challenge
ALLENDALE, Mich. – The opening round of the fourth annual Folds of Honor Challenge took place on Monday at The Meadows at Grand Valley State University. This year’s tournament features 11 men’s teams and nine women’s teams. The winning team from each field will qualify for the 2026 Folds of Honor Collegiate, held September 7-9 at American Dunes Golf Club.
The morning wave saw Findlay, the defending Folds of Honor Challenge Women’s Champions, build a nine-stroke lead after 18 holes powered by a seven-under back nine (holes 1-9 since they teed off from hole 10) from counting scores.
“Honestly, we started out really rough on (hole) 10 today, but they just kept fighting,” Head Coach Dominic Guarnieri said. “We worked our way back as we made the turn, all making par on 1, which I think is a tough hole, so that got us going. We then played a really, really good last nine holes. A big thing, I thought, was that all five of our girls were in it all day. It helps when you have five girls in the mix throughout the entire day that can possibly help your team.”
“I told them afterwards, just the same mindset as today for tomorrow,” continued Guarnieri. “We really preach staying in the moment and taking it one shot at a time. Obviously, the tournament’s only one-third of the way over, so go out tomorrow with the same mindset and add it up at the end.”
Junior Ashleigh Duflo led the Oilers and the individual leaderboard with her three-under 68 that included five birdies. The Ada, Michigan, native, leads by one shot over UIndy’s Paige Giovenco, who double-bogeyed the 18th hole to go from one up and bogey-free the previous 14 holes to one down.
“It felt steady throughout the whole round,” Duflo said. “I had two bogeys, but I fought and battled back. They’re 36 holes left to play and anything can happen. Go out there with a good mindset, and at the end of the day, play my best golf and see what happens.”
“We have a completely different team than we did last year, but I don’t have any doubts that we can be just as good as we were,” continued Duflo. “Same as having a team lead, you just go out there, play the best golf you can, and add it up at the end.”
All four of Findlay’s counting scores are inside the top 10 heading into Tuesday’s second round, including Duflo, Hayley Dye (E; 71; T4), Ellie Yeazell (E; 71: T4), and Gracie James (+2; 73; T10). Duflo, Giovenco, and June Hsiao of Grand Valley State were the only three women to card an under-par round on Monday.
Three-time defending Folds of Honor Challenge Men’s Champions Grand Valley State leads by nine strokes after going out in eight-under from counting scores. Charlie Cooley (-2; 69; 2nd), Bryce Wheeler (-1; 70; 3rd), Maverick Conaway (+1; 72; T10), and Manuel Cue Vargas (+1; 72: T10) recorded 14 birdies on the day, including 11 on the front nine.
“Today in general felt like an okay day,” Head Coach Gareth Lappin said. “We came out of the blocks fast and all of our guys were swinging great. I felt like we let a lot slip away on the back nine and left the course with a bit of a sour taste. I know it’s important to capitalize when guys are swinging well. Moving into tomorrow, we will be hopeful to start fast and clean up the mistakes.”
Also playing four individuals, Andrew Gwilliams (E; 71; T4), Murphy Kehoe (E; 71; T4), Ryan Gallagher (+1; 72; T10), and Finley Dober (+3; 74; T15) came out in six-under for the host Lakers. All three Grand Valley State eagles on the afternoon came from Gwilliams (4th and 14th holes) and Gallagher (9th).
Aurora senior Jackson Hulsey used his bogey-free three-under 68 to grab the one-shot individual lead. Hulsey and Grand Valley State teammates Cooley and Wheeler were the only three men to card an under-par round on Monday.
“It was a grind out there,” Hulsey, a St. Charles, Illinois, native, said. “I made some really good up-and-downs. The wind was kind of swirling, so that’s where I was having to make the up-and-downs. I knew that if I trusted the process, everything would be okay.”
“Take it one shot at a time,” said Hulsey heading into Tuesday’s second round. “You can’t get ahead of yourself out there. If you do, you’re just going to get yourself in trouble. I’ve got to go into tomorrow knowing that it can change and that somebody could go out there and shoot really well. I’m just going to do what I do, and if it’s good enough, that’s how we do.”
Round 2 of the 2025 Folds of Honor Challenge will begin Tuesday at 8:00 am ET for the men and 12:30 pm ET for the women. Follow this men’s link and women’s link for live scoring.
About Folds of Honor
Folds of Honor is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of US military service members and first responders who have fallen or been disabled while serving our country and communities. Our educational scholarships support private school tuition or tutoring in grades K-12, tuition for college, technical or trade school and post-graduate work, including a master’s degree, doctorate, or professional program. Funds for a second bachelor’s degree or trade/technical program certification are also available. Since its inception in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded nearly 62,000 scholarships totaling about $290 million in all 50 states. Among the students served, 45 percent are minorities. A total of 91 percent of expenses fund our mission of providing educational scholarships to the families of our nation’s heroes. It is rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator and Platinum on Candid. It was founded by Lt Col Dan Rooney, the only-ever F-16 fighter pilot (with three combat tours in Iraq) and PGA Professional. He is serving as Commander of Recruiting for the Oklahoma Air Guard. For more information or to donate in support of a Folds of Honor scholarship visit foldsofhonor.org.
About The Meadows at Grand Valley State University
The Meadows has been the host of nine NCAA National Championships, including the NCAA Division II Women's National Championships in 1996, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2011, and 2015, as well as NCAA Division II Men's National Championship in 2001, 2007, and 2014. Please visit www.gvsu.edu/meadows for more information.
About the Golf Coaches Association of America
Established in 1958, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) is the professional organization of men's collegiate golf coaches. The GCAA's mission is to support its member coaches from six divisions, including the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA, by creating educational opportunities, providing resources, and promoting its members with the purpose of enhancing their overall performance as coaches, mentors, and teachers. The GCAA also recognizes the excellence and achievements of its members and their student-athletes in academic, athletic and civic endeavors.