May 15, 1998
TEMPE, Ariz. - The top-ranked UNLV golf team shot a second-round one-over-par 289 to fall into a second-place tie at the 1998 NCAA West Regional Golf Championship at Arizona State's Karsten Golf Course (par 72, 7,037 yards) Friday.
Arizona State took advantage of its home course and the perfect weather conditions by recording a second-round 11-under-par 277 to lead the tournament after two rounds of play with a 570 total.
The Rebels and New Mexico, the co-leaders after the Thursday's first round, both shot a second-round one-over-par 289 and are now tied for second with 576. Arizona, UCLA and UC Santa Barbara are all tied for fourth place at 581.
"We are still not playing our best golf," UNLV Head Coach Dwaine Knight said. "We fought hard though. The other teams got off to a great start on the first nine holes and we were around par, but that was through the easier part of the course. We are real close to playing well and exploding. If we can make our putts and get our momentum going we will be fine."
ASU was led by 1998 Pacific 10 Conference Champion Paul Casey, who matched the competitive Karsten course record by shooting a 65. Casey shot a 70 for the opening round on Thursday and is averaging 67.25 strokes per round over his last four rounds. Stanford's Joel Kribel, who is competing as an individual, also shot a course-record 65 on Friday.
Casey has the tournament's individual lead at 135, while Kribel is in second at 138. Jeremy Anderson and Charley Hoffman are pacing UNLV's effort and are both tied for 14th at 144."I double-bogeyed on the ninth hole today," said Hoffman, who turned in the Rebels' best score of the day with a 71. "Besides that, I played pretty well. I made a couple of stupid mistakes around the greens, but I just have to focus on not making those types of mistakes. For us to play our best it takes 18 solid holes and not 16."
Other Rebels competing were Chris Berry and Scott Lander, who are both tied for 18th at 145 and Bill Lunde, who is tied for 33rd at 147.
The tournament concludes Saturday with 18 holes. The top nine teams and two individuals from non-qualifying teams will advance to the NCAA Championship at the University of New Mexico's Championship Course (par 72, 7,245 yards) in Albuquerque, N.M.
1998 NCAA WEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPASU'S KARSTEN GOLF COURSE (PAR 72, 7,037 YARDS)TEMPE, ARIZ.
TEAM RESULTS AFTER FRIDAY'S SECOND ROUND1. Arizona State 293-277-570 -62. UNLV 287-289-576 E New Mexico 287-289-576 E4. Arizona 292-289-581 +5 UCLA 288-293-581 +5 UC Santa Barbara 290-291-581 +57. Colorado State 300-285-585 +98. California 291-295-586 +10 Washington 295-291-586 +1010. Oregon 300-288-588 +12 Brigham Young 293-295-588 +1212. Fresno State 295-294-589 +1313. Pacific 298-297-595 +1914. New Mexico State 301-295-596 +20 Texas-El Paso 302-294-596 +20 UC Irvine 298-298-596 +20 Nevada 305-291-596 +2018. Southern California 303-296-599 +23
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS AFTER FRIDAY'S SECOND ROUND1. Paul Casey, Arizona State 70-65-135 -92. Joel Kribel, Stanford (IND) 73-65-138 -63. Doug La Belle, New Mexico 68-71-139 -5 Kyle Kovacs, UCSB 68-71-139 -55. Rory Sabbatini, Arizona 71-70-141 -3 Ben Crane, Oregon 70-71-141 -3 Andy Miller, Brigham Young 68-73-141 -3 Nigel Spence, Colorado State 71-70-141 -39. James Watt, Nevada 73-69-142 -2 Andy Barnes, Arizona 73-69-142 -2 Brandon DiTullio, UCLA 71-71-142 -2 Ryan King, Fresno State 69-73-142 -2 Greg Robertson, New Mexico 70-72-142 -214. Jeremy Anderson, UNLV 71-73-144 E Charley Hoffman, UNLV 73-71-144 E Darren Angel, Arizona State 75-69-144 E Garrett Wagner, UCSB 73-71-144 E18. Brian Nosler, Washington 71-74-145 +1 Rob Rashell, Washington 73-72-145 +1 D.J. Brigman, New Mexico 73-72-145 +1 Kevin Wolf, Pacific 70-75-145 +1 Chris Berry, UNLV 73-72-145 +1 Scott Lander, UNLV 70-75-145 +124. Nine tied at 146 (+2)
OTHER REBELST33. Bill Lunde 74-73-147 +3
