Foothill golfer Montgomery to play at UNLV

Just weeks after UNLV men’s golf coach Dwaine Knight announced one of the nation’s top recruiting classes for 2012, his 2013 class is off to a tremendous start with word Tuesday that Foothill High School junior Taylor Montgomery will follow in his father’s footsteps and attend UNLV.

“It’s a chance to stay close to home and play for a great program,” Montgomery said after making an oral commitment to the Rebels. “Both my parents went to UNLV, and I know Coach Knight well. The team he has is pretty good already, and I like the guys.”

Montgomery, who won the Nevada 4A boys individual championship last spring and also won the American Junior Golf Association’s Las Vegas Junior Open, turned down offers from Stanford, San Diego State and UNR to play for the Rebels. He will sign with UNLV in November 2012 and will play his freshman season in the fall of 2013. He will join Coronado’s A.J. McInerney and Kenden Slattery, and Arbor View’s Zane Thomas as Rebels. That trio will play their freshman seasons next fall.

“They’re great guys and great players,” Montgomery said of his soon-to-be-teammates. “I’m looking forward to being their teammate.”

NCAA rules prohibit Knight from commenting on prospective student-athletes. But the fact he coached Montgomery’s dad, Monty, had an impact on Taylor’s decision. Monty is the head pro at Shadow Creek, where the Rebels practice. He is also Taylor’s swing coach.

“I talked to my parents a lot about it, but in the end, they left it up to me,” Taylor Montgomery said. “I’m glad to have it behind me and I can just concentrate on school and golf.”