Columnist Victoria Sun: UNLV improves grade in chemistry department

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2001 | 8:46 a.m.

Victoria Sun is a Las Vegas Sun sportswriter. Reach her at 259-4078 or by e-mail at victoria@lasvegassun.com.

A year ago, tension among cliques on the UNLV men's golf team made it difficult for team members to work together.

That, coupled with the fact the team's best player, Adam Scott, turned professional at the semester break turned the Rebels' season into one to forget.

There were bright spots, most notably the team's 13th consecutive appearance in the NCAA West Regional and the selection of senior Scott Lander to the Palmer Cup.

But even those accomplishments were somewhat diminished by the behind-the- scenes bickering that contributed to UNLV's 12th-place finish at its only home tournament, the Callaway Golf Las Vegas Intercollegiate at the Rio Secco, more disappointing results such as an 11th- place finish at the West Regional (a year after UNLV had finished second) and finally, a missed trip to the NCAA championships for the first time in 12 years.

"There were people who didn't want to put in the hard work it takes to win," UNLV senior Brien Davis admitted. "The team was broken up into groups and we weren't a team.

"People showed up late and there were a lot of conflicts among the team."

Even so, UNLV coach Dwaine Knight made the best of the situation.

"We had an inconsistent season, but we still made the regionals," Knight said. "You've got to remember, our standards are awfully high.

"We still missed the NCAAs by three strokes. Had we had Adam on the team, we would have probably made it. Our bar is set real high, but I think we are going to be able to meet the challenge in the next couple of years."

It's early, but there are signs that UNLV has already made a turnaround despite the loss of three players before the season began last weekend at the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate, where the 13th-ranked Rebels finished tied for fourth.

Scott, last season's Mountain West Conference freshman of the year, decided to turn pro and would-be juniors Robert Sul and Tyler Mays (Bishop Gorman) transferred to Long Beach State.

On Monday, senior Brien Davis, sophomore Brandon Askew and highly touted freshman Ryan Moore sat on wooden rocking chairs off the 18th green at Southern Highlands waiting for their six teammates to finish a qualifying round. They talked and made jokes, the way teammates usually behave.

"The team seems more committed to playing well and getting the job done," Askew said. "Our goal is to win a national championship.

"Coach Knight tells us to get a little better every day and that's what we're trying to do."

Davis, who redshirted his freshman year, said things off the course are markedly improved.

"Things are looking up with our team chemistry," Davis said. "We get along better now. I think all the people who did not want to work have gone now."

The Rebels' next tournament is the Carpet Capital Collegiate in Rocky Face, Ga., Oct. 5.

After one round of qualifying, Davis was in the lead at 2-under-par 70, followed by Moore, who shot even par 72.

Moore's arrival has already given the team a boost.

He led UNLV at the Tucker and finished ninth overall at 1-under-par 215.

"I'm happy I'm here," Moore said. "We're going to be good.

"No one played well, I don't think any one of us had a great round (at the Tucker) and we still finished fairly well. It shows we are capable."