The Elevator

Sat, Jul 5, 2008 (2 a.m.)

Who’s headed toward the penthouse on the local sports scene — and who’s getting the shaft.

GOING UP

Inbee Park

The Bishop Gorman High product, in only her second year on the LPGA Tour, earned her first tour victory in style by becoming the youngest winner in the history of the U.S. Women’s Open. Park, 19, held off LPGA Tour veteran Helen Alfredsson by four shots at Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn.

Richard Hortness

Hortness is one of three former UNLV swimmers who will represent the university at the Olympic Games next month in Beijing. Hortness, who swam for the Rebels from 2005 to 2007, will compete for his native Canada in the 50-meter freestyle and on the 200-meter and 400-meter free relay teams.

Joe Bartoch

Bartoch, who competed for the Rebels from 2003 to 2006, will join former UNLV teammate Hortness on the Canadian Olympic team. He broke a 6-year-old record in the 100-meter butterfly at the Canadian Olympic trials in Montreal in April. Coincidentally, the record Bartoch broke was held by another former UNLV standout, Mike Mintenko.

Jonas Andersson

Andersson will represent UNLV in Beijing as a member of Sweden’s Olympic swim team. Andersson, who swam for the Rebels from 2004 to 2008, will compete in the 100-meter breast stroke and swim the breast stroke leg on the 400-meter medley relay team. He holds the Swedish record in the 100-meter breast stroke.

GOING DOWN

Talking heads

And we’re not talking about the avant-garde rock band of the ’70s and ’80s, either. One local TV sports anchor repeatedly confused NASCAR drivers Kurt and Kyle Busch when reporting on the former’s victory last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. There are only two native Las Vegans driving in stock car racing’s major league — is it too much to ask to know which one is which?

Ryan Ludwick

After terrorizing National League pitching in May, including eight home runs in 12 games, Ludwick cooled off big time in June. A former UNLV standout, Ludwick hit a mere .228 with three homers last month for the St. Louis Cardinals.