UNLV’s title hopes rest on strong third round

Victoria Sun

Friday, June 2, 2000 | 10:07 a.m.

OPELIKA, Ala. -- Today was "moving day" for the UNLV golf team.

The day it needed to make a move to be in contention for the 2000 NCAA Men's Golf Championships. The day UNLV's No. 3 through No. 5 golfers (Scott Lander, Calvin Kupeyan and Robert Sul) had to perform.

The Rebels started today in sixth place, 16 shots behind pacesetter Oklahoma State.

"I'm going to play real hard because it's very important," said Kupeyan, whose 2-over-par 74 in the second round of the tournament Thursday afternoon counted toward the team total of 287. "We know Michael (Kirk) and Jeremy (Anderson) are going to play well.

"But it's up to me, Robert and Scottie to step up. We're going to be ready to play."

For much of the year, Kirk and Anderson, both seniors, have carried the team. Thursday was no different.

Anderson fired a 68 at the par-72 7,003-yard Grand National Golf Club while Kirk shot even-par 72 to help put the Rebels at 3-under for the tournament. UNLV made the cut of 15, trimmed from the starting field of 30, and was tied with Houston for sixth place.

Oklahoma State's second-day score of 12-under 276 vaulted the Cowboys to the top of the leaderboard at 19-under-par 557. First-day leader Texas slipped to second with Thursday's 286 but is only a stroke behind the Cowboys at 18-under for the tournament. Georgia Tech was next at 14-under 562.

Entering the final two rounds, Anderson's two-day total of 7-under-par 141 put him four strokes behind Oklahoma State's Charles Howell and Texas' David Gossett for the individual title. Anderson was tied with Georgia Tech's Matt Kuchar for third.

"My main concern is the team," Anderson said. "If I play well, that will help the team.

"There are still two more days of golf to be played. We're certainly not out of it. We've got a low round in us."

UNLV was paired with Texas and Fresno State for the second consecutive day. The three teams teed off early in the morning starting on the 10th hole, which turned out to be an advantage for the Rebels.

Much to the disappointment of Rebel coach Dwaine Knight, however, it didn't last long.

Through nine holes, Anderson and Kupeyan were 2-under while Sul and Lander were even. Anderson started off with a bogey on the par-4 434-yard 10th hole, then recovered with birdies on Nos. 14, 15 and 16. Kupeyan said he felt confident with birdies on the 12th and 14th holes.

After making the turn, Anderson and Kirk were able to sustain their level of play while the rest of the team fell apart.

Kupeyan bogeyed the second, fifth, sixth and ninth holes with missed putts from about 10-12 feet. Lander shaved six strokes off his opening day 79 that was thrown out, but finished with a bogey on the ninth hole.

Sul had double-bogeys on Nos. 2 and 5 and a bogey on 6 and finished 3-over-par 75. Even though his score wasn't counted because only the top four rounds are applied toward the team's total, Sul vowed to make up for it.

"All I have to say is that I have to play better," he said. "Much better."

Both Texas and Fresno State stumbled when the Rebels were hot, then played great the final nine holes while UNLV cooled off.

"I was really happy with the front side because that's the side that can get you," Knight said. "But we got into position to go and there was no go.

"It was a disappointing day in a way for us because I thought we had a shot after the first nine holes. Texas was over par the first half and we were under so I thought we could make a run at them."