May 18, 2001

Box Score

CORVALLIS, Ore. - The UNLV men's golf team will have to make up at least two strokes in the final round of the NCAA West Regional Championship on Saturday if it is to continue its season and advance to the NCAA Championships.

The Rebels fired a second-round score of 300 at the Trysting Tree Golf Course, finishing 12 strokes over par for the day and 18-over for the tournament. They currently sit in 12th place of the 27-team field, and only the top 10 teams will advance to the national finals.

UNLV is only two strokes behind both Pepperdine and South Carolina, both tied for 10th place.

Arizona State built upon its first day lead. After finishing five-under in the first round, the Sun Devils went 11-under on Friday and are the only team in the field below par at 16-under. UC Irvine trails ASU by 17 strokes.

The Sun Devils also baost the top two individuals in the race. Matt Jones is the current leader at nine-under after shooting 65 on Friday. Teammate Jin Park is two strokes back at seven-under.

James Oh, the Rebels' first round leader, dropped into a tie for 42nd place after a round of 77 put him five-over for the tourney.

Junior Clark Corbett, who did not figure into UNLV's first-round total, was the team's top scorer on Friday, rebounding to shoot even par. He is four-under and tied for 32nd.

Rounding out the scorers for UNLV on Friday were freshman Travis Whisman, who slipped to three-over after a 73 on Friday, and sophomore Calvin Kupeyan, who is tied for 80th place after a 78. Scott Lander's 79 did not count toward the team's second-round total.

The Rebels are in jeopardy of failing to qualify for the national finals for the first time in 13 years. Their attempt to finish in the top 10 will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday.