NCAA Golf Championships: Rebels 6 shots back

Thursday, June 3, 1999 | 10:22 a.m.

CHASKA, Minn. -- UNLV trailed front-running Oklahoma State by six shots going into today's second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships.

As far as the Rebels are concerned, they've got the rest of the 30-team field right where they want 'em.

"That's a good start," UNLV senior Charley Hoffman said. "It's always easier when you chase a little bit than it is to be in front. Sometimes it's hard to lead."

Hoffman speaks from experience. At last year's NCAA finals in Albuquerque, UNLV trailed Oklahoma State by six shots before the Rebels went on a scoring blitz and posted an NCAA finals-record 19 under par in the second round en route to their first national championship.

Although UNLV's opening-round 7-over-par 295 left the Rebels in sixth place, Rebels junior Jeremy Anderson said he wasn't too concerned about the team's slow start as he prepared for this morning's second round.

"We're playing with a lot of confidence right now," Anderson said.

Coming from behind to win tournaments has been a trademark for this year's Rebels squad, which has won five times after trailing going into the final round.

"The reason why we do that, I think, is because we're really, really good at learning from our mistakes," Anderson said. "You're going to make mistakes out there but the important thing is not to dwell on them, but to accept them and learn from them.

"As a tournament gets on and on, even if we're not playing perfect golf, we're avoiding (making) the same mistakes that we're making in the first couple of rounds. I think that's why we've always been successful."

Hoffman and Anderson paced the Rebels with 1-under-par 71s on the demanding Hazeltine National Golf Club and were tied for seventh place, three shots behind first-round leader Chris Wisler of East Tennessee State.

Oklahoma State shot the day's low team round, posting a 1-over-par 289. Georgia was three shots back at 292; BYU and Clemson were tied for third at 293 and North Carolina was fifth at 294.

The Rebels might have had a shot at the first-round lead had it not been for their abysmal play at the par-4 16th hole. UNLV played the hole in 9 over par with two bogeys, two double-bogeys and a triple bogey.

That did not please UNLV head coach Dwaine Knight, who said one of the keys for the Rebels this week would be avoiding the big numbers on holes such as No. 16.

"That was a tough one," Knight said of 16, which he called one of the hardest holes he has seen. "You can't have those kinds of holes and win championships.

"The one thing I've got to give them credit for is they battled after that and really fought hard. They could have let it go crazy after that hole, but they didn't."

UNLV senior Chris Berry, who was instrumental in the Rebels' championship last year, was a perfect example of turning his day around after the 16th hole.

Berry, who had the triple-bogey 7 on No. 16 (the Rebels started from the 10th tee Wednesday), made the turn at 8-over 44, but played the front nine in even-par 36. Berry's 80, however, was the high round and his score was not counted in the Rebels' team total.

UNLV senior Michael Kirk shot a 4-over 76 and freshman Adam Scott carded a 5-over 77 to round out the Rebels' scoring.

The 30-team field will be cut to the low 15 teams following today's round. Barring a collapse of epic proportions today, the Rebels should continue their defense of the national championship through the weekend.

Knight said he hoped the Rebels would do as Anderson stated and learn from their mistakes in today's round.

"What we have to do is eliminate the big number, which we weren't able to do (Wednesday)," Knight said. "You can have one really good round on this course and make a huge jump.

"It's a long way from over and we want to come out and play a solid round (today); that's what it's going to take. I feel comfortable ... I think we will play better as the tournament goes along."

Anderson, for one, virtually assured it.

"I just think we're really good under the gun," Anderson said. "As the pressure increases, we seem to step up our game."