March 16, 2009

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV men's golf team has been named Golfweek's Team of the Week following the Rebels' remarkable comeback to win the Southern Highlands Collegiate Championship on Sunday, rallying from a 12-stroke deficit on the final day to earn the team title.

UNLV shot a final-round-low 6-under-par 282 on Sunday to rally and win its second straight team title at the Southern Highlands Collegiate Championship and fourth in the last five years. The Rebels finished the tournament, which was hosted by UNLV, the Las Vegas Founders and Southern Highlands Golf Club with a 54-hole total of 9-under 855, one shot better than Oklahoma State, which was ranked No. 3 at the time.

"I am very proud that Golfweek would recognize our team and I am very proud of the way our team played," UNLV head coach Dwaine Knight said. "We played very well and a lot of things worked out for us. Guys kept making putts and momentum went our way down the stretch. It was nice to see a lot of energy from the team and hopefully we take advantage of it the rest of the year."

The comeback was reminiscent of UNLV charging back from 12 strokes down to win the Golf Digest Collegiate in Houston back in 1996, and like last weekend, it was Oklahoma State which carried the big lead that the Rebels were able to overcome.

The win marked the second team title of the season for UNLV (also won the William H. Tucker Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M., in September), was its sixth top-five finish in seven outings this year and was its eighth Southern Highlands Collegiate Championship title in the last 15 years.