Rebel golfers play host to Vegas Intercollegiate

Victoria Sun

Thursday, March 9, 2000 | 10:46 a.m.

College basketball won't be the only game in town this weekend.

For the golf enthusiast, there will be plenty of action at the Desert Inn Golf Club.

The ninth-ranked UNLV golf team will defend its title in a 14-team field at the Las Vegas Intercollegiate that starts Friday morning and concludes Sunday. It will be the Rebels' only home tournament of the year.

Formerly known as the Golf Digest Collegiate Invitational, this year's field has four of the top five teams in the country including top-ranked Georgia Tech, third-ranked Clemson and 11 of the top 25.

"It's a great field," UNLV head coach Dwaine Knight said. "I think it's the best collegiate field in the country next to the NCAAs. We've had two really spirited tournaments here."

UNLV won last year's tournament with a four-shot win over Georgia.

Rebel senior Jeremy Anderson, who isranked No. 9, will vie for individual honors against heavy hitters that include last year's champion, David Gossett of Texas, No. 2 Matt Kuchar of Georgia Tech, No. 3 Lucas Glover of Clemson and No. 4 Bryce Molder of Georgia Tech.

Anderson started the spring season by capturing his first individual title at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate in Kaneohe, Hawaii, where the Rebels finished fourth.

"It was a good way to start off," Knight said. "It gives us something to build on.

"With Jeremy playing so well over there, that helps, but we've got to have five guys contribute. We're looking for more consistency in our team. That's what we're always working on."

Other teams in the field are: No. 4 Oklahoma State, No. 5 Arizona State, No. 6 Georgia, No. 11 Houston, No. 13 South Carolina, No. 17 Florida, No. 18 New Mexico, No. 25 Virginia, No. 26 Texas, No. 40 Minnesota and No. 46 North Carolina.