Rough 2nd round has Rebels reeling

Adam Candee

Thursday, June 2, 2005 | 10:56 a.m.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Today began with the sun rising on UNLV's early tee time at the NCAA championship at Caves Valley Golf Course.

Yet by noon, as gray clouds gathered and threatened afternoon rounds with rain and blustery wind, the sun appeared to be setting on the Rebels' chances for a national championship.

Returning to the course just 12 hours after leaving from their first round, the Rebels struggled for a second consecutive round and posted a team total of 10-over that increased their overall score to 14-over and left them right on the cut line of 15th place. A number of teams still had to take to the difficult course in the afternoon, meaning UNLV was likely to continue on to Friday and Saturday's rounds.

Still, for a team expected to contend for the crown, this is not what anyone expected.

"We certainly didn't have a big day today," UNLV coach Dwaine Knight said. "We didn't get much out the round that we needed to close the gap."

The Rebels trailed tournament leader Georgia by a significant margin and they are not playing well enough to inspire belief of a comeback yet. Freshman Jarred Texter fired the low round of even-par 70 today and just one of the Rebels' first 10 rounds has been under par.

Defending national champion Ryan Moore looked little like himself, struggling to a two-day score of 5-over after today's 3-over 73. His exasperated body language throughout most of this morning's round showed how frustrated Moore is with his play, especially his normally steady putting.

He said today that he has not had his best game since late February, but this version of Moore that seems unable to shake from a bad stretch of holes is particularly unusual.

"It felt like about a 98 or so," Moore said of today's round. "I hit the ball like a 65 today and putted like a 90."

Moore bogeyed his first hole and then had a four-putt at No. 5. The struggles continued through the 14th hole, where Moore gathered his game while waiting out a long delay at the tee box. He hit a perfect flop shot to within 3 feet and converted a birdie, then made an up-and-down from the bunker to save par at No. 15 before nailing another birdie putt from 9 feet at No. 16.

He finished well, as did the rest of the Rebels, which fits into Knight's plan. It feels like a trick from the coach's bag at times when Knight stresses the importance of the final three holes of each round.

Every coach wants a powerful finish, but the concept is one of the brands of the UNLV golf program. Along with having strong depth in the lineup, playing challenging qualifying rounds at home and owning the final round of every tournament, closing out each day with fireworks is Dogma to Knight.

Both of the first two rounds proved, however, just how right Knight is about that closing trio of holes. Fading badly in the middle of their opening round, the Rebels charged home at the end of a breezy afternoon to at least stick some fingers in what looked like a bursting dam.

Their team total of 3-under at Nos. 7, 8 and 9 propelled the Rebels up to fourth place at 4-over after the first of four rounds. It is not the stuff on national title contenders.

"Our finish was pretty awesome," Knight said. "I know with Andres (Gonzales), those three birdies coming in, that was big. (Ryan) Keeney birdied No. 8 and then Ryan (Moore) birdied at the last hole. Once again, those last three holes played pretty big for us and that's been kind of our hallmark a little bit, but we weren't in as good of shape coming into the last three as we normally have been."