Rebels hope to build on NCAA experience

Victoria Sun

Monday, June 3, 2002 | 9:22 a.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- They had hopes.

They had expectations.

They had reasons to be confident before the NCAA Men's Golf Championship.

After the grueling four-day tournament that included three rain delays and concluded Saturday, the UNLV golf team left with just as many incentives to get better for next season.

In its 13th finals appearance in 14 years, UNLV finished the tournament 31 strokes over par for 23rd place after carding 12-over during the final round on Ohio State's Scarlet Course.

"I think the experience is great," Knight said. "There is nothing like playing in a national championship.

"I'm really proud of the fact that they played really hard. Obviously, we made a lot of mistakes and we talked about things we needed to do to get better this summer.

"The good thing about a golf course at this level is it really exposes your weaknesses. We've got to be able to drive the ball in the fairway better and we've got to be able to hit more greens."

Unheralded Minnesota, the Big-10 champion, captured its first NCAA championship, shooting 6-under 278 to finish at 2-under for the tournament while No. 1 Georgia Tech was second at 2-over.

The news was better on the individual front for the Rebels.

UNLV freshman Ryan Moore, the Mountain West Conference freshman of the year, continued his fantastic season, ending the tournament in a tie for eighth place with a four-day total 3-under-par 281. He finished five strokes behind medalist Troy Matteson of Georgia Tech.

For the final round, Moore was paired with No. 1-ranked Graeme McDowell of the University of Alabama-Birmingham and Oklahoma State's Hunter Mahan, rated No. 4 in the country, and proved that he was worthy of playing with the best in the country.

Yet Moore was dejected over carding a final round 1-over-par 72, the result of poor ball striking and a handful of flubbed putts.

"Coming in here, I wanted to win," he said. "Even today, I knew there was a chance and there actually was a good chance if I could have put up a 67, which was very possible.

"Just the putts weren't falling. I'll definitely take the top 10. I think at every tournament I want to do the best I possibly can and know that I tried on every shot. Today, I missed a few, but I was trying as hard as I can every day."

Moore's attitude and shot-making ability are just two reasons for Knight to be optimistic next season following a rough start this year. Based on the team's dismal fall results, it appeared the Rebels wouldn't qualify for the NCAAs for the second consecutive season.

But Moore, senior Clark Corbett, junior Brien Davis, sophomore Brandon Askew and freshman J.C. Deacon turned things around in the spring. They finished second at the Las Vegas Intercollegiate and first at the Kepler Intercollegiate that also was played on the Scarlet Course in Columbus before winning the MWC.

Knight believes the team's humbling experience will motivate his players to come back stronger next season.

After returning to Las Vegas on Sunday, Moore hopped on a plane to his home in Seattle en route to Portland, Ore., for the 36-hole U.S Open sectional qualifier today.

On Saturday, Moore sank a 25-foot putt to birdie the par-4 No. 3. to go 1-under at the turn.

Although he had success on the back nine the previous three days, it deserted him during the final round. He missed a 10-footer for par on No. 11, sank a 12-footer on No. 12 for birdie, and then missed a nine-foot par putt after hitting his second shot into the front right bunker.

On the par-4, 385 yard 16th hole, Moore's 11-foot par putt was short for his final bogey. Mahan tied Moore at 1-over for the day while McDowell, the leader after three days at 8-under, turned in a 3-over 72.

"He has had a tremendous year," Knight said of Moore. "I know he wanted to win and he's capable of winning.

"We're real proud to have him. He controls the ball very well and he's got the ability to shoot low numbers. You should see the numbers he shoots in our qualifying. Sooner or later it's going to happen at the tournaments and that will take our team to another level."

Moore enjoyed being able to play with the best.

"'That was fun," he said. "It lets me see where I am with them and I can tell I can compete at the highest level."

Deacon, who had a bogey-free third round for a 2-under 69, finished the tournament at 8-over 292.

In his opinion, nerves and tougher conditions contributed to the team's disappearing act this week.

When the Rebels won the Kepler in April, the rough was much lower and the trees hadn't filled in yet.

"I think we struggled a lot with our patience," Deacon said. "We were playing really well so there's really no explanation for why we did this, but I think we just put probably a little too much pressure on ourselves.

"I think we're all going to understand that we have the team to do well (next year)."

Corbett is the lone senior on the team which will be bolstered by the return of Travis Whisman, who had back surgery, and the additions of incoming freshmen Ryan Posey and Ryan Keeney.