March 28, 2007-The nationally-ranked UNLV Rebel Mens Golf Team won the prestigious Morris Williams Intercollegiate played at Austin Country Club in Austin, Texas, by six shots ahead of Tulsa and Texas A&M. It marked UNLV's second team title of the spring and the fifth top-five finish of the season. "We have had a chance to win every tournament this spring, and that is the litmus test of this program, putting ourselves in a position to win," UNLV Head Coach Dwaine Knight said.
The tournament was shortened from 54 holes to 36 because of the thunderstorms that suspended play Monday afternoon. Monday's partial second-round scores were eliminated and an 18-hole second-and-final round was played in its entirety on Tuesday. "I thought we handled the tough weather very well, and this was a good opportunity to deal with tough conditions," Knight said. "Most likely we will have to deal with a tough round like that at the (NCAA) finals."
The NCAA Finals will be played in Williamsburg, Virginia.
The Rebels practice at many Las Vegas golf courses including Southern Highlands Golf Club (home course), TPC Canyons, TPC Summerlin, Shadow Creek Golf Club, Las Vegas Country Club and others.
The Rebels finished the tournament at 8-under par 568, six shots ahead of Tulsa and Texas A&M, which both tied for second place. Texas finished fourth at even-par 576, while TCU rounded out the top five at 2-over.
Texas A&M's Austin Schauer, Tulsa's Ryan Henry and New Mexico's Steve Saunders each took medalist honors at 5-under 139.
UNLV's Jarred Texter and Seung-su Han each tied for 12th at 1-under 143 to lead the Rebels. Texter shot a final-round 1-under 71, while Han carded a 1-over 73 on Tuesday.
According to Knight, this year marked the 41st playing of the Morris Williams event. The Rebels have won it three times, including in the year before they won the national championship in 1998. Austin Country Club was created in 1899, but the current golf course location is the third different one used by the club.
Other Rebel scores: C.J. Gatto tied for 15th at even-par 144 after shooting a final-round even-par 72, Brett Kanda finished tied for 20th at 1-over 145 after firing a final-round 7-under 65 and Eddie Olson finished tied for 23rd at 2-over 146 after a final-round 72. "Kanda's round was huge," Knight said.
UNLV will be back in action April 2-3 at the National Invitational Tournament in Tucson, Ariz.
Andy Grossman, UNLV Sports Information Director, contributed to this report.