Strong finishes needed

By Brian Hilderbrand

Tuesday, May 2, 2006 | 7:29 a.m.

Since he took over as UNLV men's golf coach nearly 19 years ago, Dwaine Knight has tried to instill in his teams that "the final round belongs to the Rebels."

Although UNLV posted the best team score of the final round of the Mountain West Conference Championships last weekend in Sunriver, Ore., Knight was not thrilled with the Rebels' third-place showing.

"Obviously, we weren't very happy with it," Knight said of the Rebels, who finished nine shots behind team champion New Mexico. "It was very important to get off to a good start ... and we didn't, and I think that kind of set us back.

"Even the last day, we had our chances and we just didn't finish it off. Those are things that we work on pretty hard all year, and we didn't get it done."

Matt Kinsinger, a sophomore, slipped from a tie for second to a share of sixth place with a final-round 76 on the Crosswater Course at Sunriver Resort. Jarred Texter, also a sophomore, fired a final-round 72 and tied for sixth place at 2-over-par 218.

Knight said he had been hoping for a better overall performance from his players because the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship will be held on the Crosswater Course at the end of this month.

"This was an important tournament - especially being the site of the national championship," Knight said. "I think we're very comfortable with the course. There is a lot of preciseness to the course where you have to hit irons a certain distance, and at times we did that and at times we didn't."

The Rebels will find out next week in which NCAA regional tournament they will be competing in two weeks. Although the Rebels have played in the West Regional each of the past 17 years, Knight said there is a possibility they could be placed in either the East or Central regional as the NCAA Men's Golf Committee seeks parity throughout the regions.

Tourney on tap

UNLV women's golf team, which earned its third consecutive Mountain West Conference team title last month under head coach Missy Ringler, learned Monday it will be the fifth seed in the NCAA West Regional.

The West Regional will be played May 11-13 at the Washington National Golf Club in Las Auburn, Wash.

Fellow Mountain West Conference members New Mexico and BYU also advanced to the West Regional, while Texas Christian University will be playing in the Central Regional in College Station, Texas.

Also noted

2

Best finish by the UNLV women's golf team in an NCAA Regional (2004)

3

UNLV players named to 2005 all-Mountain West Conference men's team

4

NCAA West Regional team championships won by UNLV men's golf teams