March 12, 2006
Results
LAS VEGAS - The No. 10 UNLV men's golf team shot a final-round 2-over-par 290 on Sunday at the Southern Highlands Collegiate Championship at Southern Highlands Golf Club (par 72, 7,510 yards) and ran away with the team title, finishing 10 shots ahead of Georgia. The top-ranked Bulldogs had been tied with UNLV for first place after both the first and second rounds of play.
It was UNLV's second team championship of the season and the second straight year it won the Southern Highlands Collegiate Championship. The Rebels (295-294-290--879, +15), who finished the tournament at 15-over 879, also won the team title at the William H. Tucker Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M., in September.
Georgia (295-294-300--889, +25) shot a final-round 12-over 300 to finish second, while Oklahoma State (299-293-307--899, +35) finished third, 20 shots behind UNLV. Florida (305-294-301--900, +36) was fourth at 36-over and Clemson (301-294-307--902, +38), Arizona State (311-288-303--902, +38) and Texas A&M (303-300-299--902, +38) all tied for fifth at 38-over. UNLV was the only team to shoot lower than 299 during the final round of play.
UNLV sophomore Matt Kinsinger (76-69-69--214, -2), who competed as an individual, won the individual championship after firing a final-round 3-under 69. He also shot a second-round 69 and finished the tournament at 2-under 214, becoming the only player in the field to finish under par.
It was the first career victory for Kinsinger and the first tournament he competed in this season. It was just his fifth career tournament appearance. His best previous finish was a tie for 25th in last year's Southern Highlands Collegiate Championship. Kinsinger also became the first UNLV golfer to win the Southern Highlands Collegiate Championship since Ryan Moore in 2003.
UNLV freshman Seung-Su Han (74-72-71--217, +1) shot a final-round 1-under 71 and tied for second at 1-over 217 for the tournament with Oklahoma State's Pablo Martin (73-71-73--217, +1). Rebel sophomore C.J. Gatto (71-75-73--219, +3) was the third UNLV player to finish in the top 10 as he recorded a sixth-place finish at 3-over 219.
Other Rebel scores: sophomore Jarred Texter (73-76-73--222, +6; T11th), senior Andres Gonzales (81-71-73--225, +9; 15th), junior Sam Hunt (77-76-78--231, +15; T36th), sophomore Brandon Loska (playing as an individual - 80-73-79--232, +16; T44th), freshman Blake Trimble (playing as an individual - 88-77-76--241, +25; 73rd) and senior Casey Fowles (playing as an individual - 81-75-86--242, +26; T74th).
The tournament, which featured 15 teams - 13 of which are ranked in the GCAA Top 25 - and 79 individuals. UNLV's next action will be March 26-28 at the National Invitational Tournament in Tucson, Ariz.
