ERIE, Pa. – Rasmus Seppanen (Bastad, Sweden/Akademi Bastad Gymnasium) and the Gannon men’s golf team completed a dominant performance at the annual Howard “Bud” Elwell Invitational.
 
Seppanen shot a 5-under-par 67 for the second consecutive day to claim a nine-stroke victory, and the GU team finished with a 26-stroke victory in the two-day tournament at Whispering Woods Golf Club. Gannon’s A Team finished with a 1-over-par 577 total to top Millersville (603).
 
How impressive was Gannon’s two-day performance on its home course? Consider that the Gannon B Team placed third in the eight-team field, fishing behind only the Gannon A Team and Millersville.
 
Seppanen, meanwhile, took the lead early in Monday’s first round and never gave it up. He had seven birdies in his 5-under 67 on Monday. On Tuesday, Seppanen had 14 pars, three birdies, and one eagle. His eagle came on the 314-yard 16th hole. He hit his drive to the right of the green and then chipped in for an eagle-2.
 

 

It was the redshirt sophomore’s first tournament victory for Gannon after missing the 2023-24 season with an injury. He was coming off a second-place performance in the Sunnehanna Collegiate.

 

Meanwhile, Gannon recorded its third consecutive first-place performance in a tournament where its A Team competed.

 

Seppanen had plenty of help in the lineup this week. Sophomore Mattia Parrini (Verolengo, Italy/Verolengo) finished third with a 1-over 145 (71-74), and junior Giovanni Delorenzi (Reggio Emilia, Italy/International School of Modena) (69-78—147) placed sixth. Senior Michael Wareham (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) placed 10th (76-75—151) and senior Elijah Ruppert (Fleetwood, Pa./Brandywine Heights) (76-78—154) was 15th.

The Gannon B Team, led by sophomore Jacob Wolak’s (Slippery Rock, Pa./Slippery Rock Area) seventh-place effort (74-75—149), finished with a two-day total of 35-over 611.

 

Freshman Vincent Lenze (St. Marys, Pa./St. Marys Area) finished 13th (78-75—153), Dylan Flinchbaugh (Saegertown, Pa./Saegertown) placed 15th (77-77—154), and sophomore Kyle Westfall (Erie, Pa./Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy (Erie)) took 18th (78-78—156).

 

 

What’s ahead:

 

The Gannon men’s golf team will travel to August, Mich., on to compete in Davenport University’s Panther Invitational on Saturday and Sunday.

 

Howard “Bud” Elwell Invitational Results

 

TEAM SCORES (8 teams)           

1. GANNON A – 283-294—577  +1

2. Millersville – 300-303—603  +27

3. GANNON B – 306-305—611  +35

4. Indiana (Pa.) – 307-306—613 +37

5. Pitt-Johnstown – 299-315—614  +38

6. California, Pa. – 309-313—622  +46

7. Shepherd 316-312—628   +52

8. Mercyhurst B – 331-323—654  +68

 

 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (49 golfers)

1. Rasmus Seppanen (Bastad, Sweden/Akademi Bastad Gymnasium), Gannon – 67-67—134  -10

2. Guillermo Salazar, Indiana (Pa.) – 71-72—143  -1

3. Mattia Parrini (Verolengo, Italy/Verolengo), Gannon – 71-74—145  +1

4. Eric Miller, Millersville – 76-70—146  +2

4. Timothy Peters, Millersville – 71-75—146  +2

6. Giovanni Delorenzi (Reggio Emilia, Italy/International School of Modena), Gannon – 69-78—147 +3

 

GANNON A RESULTS

1. Rasmus Seppanen (Bastad, Sweden/Akademi Bastad Gymnasium) – 67-67—134  -10

3. Mattia Parrini (Verolengo, Italy/Verolengo) – 71-74–145  +1

6. Giovanni Delorenzi (Reggio Emilia, Italy/International School of Modena) – 69-78—147 +3

10. Michael Wareham (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) – 76-75—151  +7

15. Elijah Ruppert (Fleetwood, Pa./Brandywine Heights) – 76-78—154  +10

 

GANNON B RESULTS

7. Jacob Wolak (Slippery Rock, Pa./Slippery Rock Area) – 74-75—149  +5

13. Vincent Lenze (St. Marys, Pa./St. Marys Area) – 78-75—153  +9

15. Dylan Flinchbaugh (Saegertown, Pa./Saegertown) – 77-77—154 +10

18. Kyle Westfall (Erie, Pa./Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy (Erie)) – 78-78—156  +12

29. Zachary Henry (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) – 77-83—160 +16