January 25, 2008 (UPDATED JAN. 20, 2008)–The UNLV Mens golf team will take back to the golf course to open up the spring season by playing in the prestigious PING-Arizona Intercollegiate tournament in Tucson. The event was held Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 28-29, at Arizona National Golf Club (par 71, 6,900 yards). The Rebels were the defending champion of the tournament. Junior Seung-Su Han (pictured), who made it to the finals of the PGA Tour Q-School, was one of the Rebels teeing it up. He finished 20th while the Rebels completed their fourth-straight top five finish as they ended up in second place behind Tennessee.
The tournament was hosted by Arizona and includes BYU, California, East Tennessee State, Georgia Southern, Long Beach State, Nevada, Reno, New Mexico, San Diego State, Tennessee, Texas, UC Irvine, UCLA, UNLV and Washington.Competing for the Rebels in this year's event will be junior Seung-su Han, senior Matt Kinsinger, senior C.J. Gatto, sophomore Eddie Olson and freshman Ji Moon.
UNLV was the defending team champion of the event, after taking the 2007 title with a 23-under 829. Last year's individual champion was Arizona's Brian Prouty, who earned medalist honors with a 14-under 199. Gatto led the Rebels last year at the PING-Arizona with a fourth-place finish at 9-under.
The UNLV men's golf team finished up the second round of play Tuesday morning at the PING-Arizona Intercollegiate at 2-under-par 282, then fired a final-round 9-under 275 to finish in second place at the event, which was played at the par-71, 6,793-yard Arizona National Golf. Monday afternoon's second-round was suspended because of darkness.
Tennessee outlasted UNLV by just three shots, finishing at 20-under 832 to win the team title. The Rebels finished at 17-under, followed by UCLA at 5-under, Arizona at 3-under and East Tennessee State rounded out the top five at 3-over.
UNLV freshman Ji Moon turned in the Rebels' top performance of the tournament finishing with a final-round 1-under 70 to finish in a tie for fifth place at 6-under 207. UCLA's Kevin Chappell ran away with medalist honors at 15-under after shooting a final-round 7-under 64. Two golfers tied for second, seven shots back at 8-under.
Other Rebel finishes and scores: senior Matt Kinsinger (T7th, 71-68-69–208, -5), sophomore Eddie Olson (T12th, 72-74-65–211, -2), junior Seung-su Han (20th, 69-70-76–215, +2) and senior C.J. Gatto (T23rd, 73-73-71–217, +4).
UNLV will be back in action at the John Burns Intercollegiate at Leilehua Golf Course in Wahiawa, Hawaii, Feb. 20-22.
UNLV competed in five events during its fall season. The Rebels won the team title at the Shoot-out at Angel Park Golf Club, home of two Arnold Palmer-designed Las Vegas golf courses, in September and recorded two other top five finishes: third at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate in Alabama in October, and fourth at the Turtle Bay Intercollegiate in Hawaii in November.
UNLV's best individual performance during the fall season was turned in by Han, who finished second at the Shoot-out at Angel Park.
The Rebels home Las Vegas golf course is Southern Highlands Golf Club. UNLV is led by Hall-of-Fame coach Dwaine Knight. The Rebels home tournament, generally referred to as the Masters of College Golf, will be played at Southern Highlands Golf Club March 7-9, and the public is invited.