LOOKING IN ON: GOLF

By Brian Hilderbrand

Friday, Oct. 26, 2007 | 7:27 a.m.

Dwaine Knight has had the good fortune of having several players he recruited to the UNLV golf program make immediate contributions as freshmen.

It's the exception rather than the norm, Knight acknowledged, but he is hoping freshman Ji Moon will join the ranks of former UNLV golfers such as Chris Riley, Jeremy Anderson and Ryan Moore, all of whom made immediate contributions as freshmen and developed into All-America players.

Moon, of Lake Mary, Fla., has been a bright spot for the Rebels, who have started slowly this season despite being ranked in one publication's preseason top 10. After four tournaments this fall, Moon is the leader among Rebels who have played in all four of the team's events with a 72.25 scoring average and has finished in the top 20 as an individual in three of his four starts.

"The thing that is hard ," Knight said," " is to come in and have all the responsibilities you have as a freshman: making those early morning workouts and study hall and then our qualifying and practice and playing and then going to school .

"You put that all together and it's a lot of responsibility , and sometimes (freshmen) have a hard time adjusting to that right off the bat . But Ji seems to be doing well in all of those areas right now."

Although Knight called Moon's play to date "a nice surprise," there was no doubt in the coach's mind that Moon was capable of playing at this level. Moon was a two-time Rolex Junior All-America selection and two-time Florida Class 2A state individual champion at Lake Mary High School.

"I knew he was a good player, obviously," Knight said. "He had been ranked in the top 15 in junior golf for most of his senior year in high school. He's a good player , but we had some experience coming back and I didn't know if he could just step in and go right away. He qualified for that first tournament and he's just kept going."

Perhaps as important as his tournament play , Moon has pushed the other players to earn spots on the Rebels' five-man traveling team.

"With him stepping in and playing a role, it's made everybody realize that there's another spot that somebody has got a good grip on right now , and that means everybody else has to step their game up," Knight said. "It makes it more competitive for the team but, in the long run, that's what we really like."

Silly-season golf

One of golf's most popular "silly-season" events, the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge, returns to Reflection Bay Golf Club at Lake Las Vegas on Nov. 13.

Featuring members of the PGA, Champions and LPGA tours in head-to-head competition, the 3-Tour Challenge has raised more than $21 million for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

Representing the PGA Tour this year are Chris DiMarco, Camilo Villegas and Bubba Watson. Fred Funk, Jay Haas and Nick Price will carry the banner for the Champions Tour , while Henderson resident Natalie Gulbis, Christie Kerr and Morgan Pressel will represent the LPGA Tour.

The 18-hole, stroke-play event will begin at 8:30 a.m. and is open to the public free of charge. Tickets can be obtained at Las Vegas-area Wendy's restaurants, The Village Golf Shop at MonteLago Village, The Falls Golf Club and Lake Las Vegas Resort's information pavilion.

2

Best individual finish by a UNLV golfer through the first four tournaments of the season (Seung-su Han in the Shoot-Out at Angel Park).

3

Number of former UNLV golfers who won on the PGA Tour this year (Charley Hoffman, Chad Campbell and Adam Scott).

5

Number of sub par rounds carded by UNLV junior Seung-su Han in his first six competitive rounds this fall.