Han’s move proves smart

There's no second-guessing on Seung-su Han's part. He knows he made the right decision to return to UNLV for his junior year.

When you shoot 5-over-par 77 in a college golf tournament, you're not ready to compete on the PGA Tour. That was the case last month, when Han struggled to get around the Tucson National Golf Club in the opening round of the National Invitational Tournament.

Han gets another crack at Tucson National beginning Thursday, when the Rebels compete in the 54-hole Mountain West Conference Championships. He said the results will be much different this time.

"My ball-striking has never been better, and my short game is really sharp right now," said Han, who tied for fourth at the Morris Williams Intercollegiate two weeks ago in Austin, Texas, after posting a three-day total of 216. "If I play well, it helps the rest of our team and it boosts everyone's confidence, not just mine."

Han tried to earn his PGA Tour card late last fall, going through the tour's qualifying school. He made it to the final phase, a six-day competition in Florida where the top 30 finishers secured PGA Tour playing privileges for 2008.

He failed to earn his card, finishing tied for 159th. However, he still had the option to go pro, play the Nationwide Tour and pursue sponsor's exemptions to play in some PGA Tour events. But Han knew he wasn't ready.

"It was a great experience, and I'm glad I did it," he said of qualifying school. "It's a different mind-set than college. But I came back because I thought I could get better. The tour's always going to be there."

Han's decision to take a stab at Q-school came with a high price. He wasn't as sharp when UNLV's spring season got under way in late January, and it took a stern talk from assistant coach Andy Bischel to get Han back on track.

"I had played a lot of golf the last four months (of 2007), and mentally, I wasn't really prepared," Han said. "I kind of got comfortable, and I wasn't challenging myself. ... Andy let me know that I wasn't focused, and ever since we talked, it's been better."

That was after he shot the 77 at Tucson National. Head coach Dwaine Knight knew something wasn't right.

"I think he was probably mentally tired," Knight said. "The competition is so good at this level, you can't just roll out of bed and compete. He's starting to put it together the last couple of weeks, which is a good sign for us. He's capable of carrying us and taking us a long way."

Han grew up wanting to be an Olympic speedskater. But a knee injury at age 11 put that career on ice. By then, he had discovered golf in his native South Korea. He moved to the United States, and in 2002 he was named the American Junior Golf Association's Player of the Year after winning five tournaments. He was also named California Junior Player of the Year that season.

He moved to Florida to finish high school, and in 2004, he advanced to the round of 16 at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

When his playing days for UNLV are over, he plans to go back through qualifying school, secure his card and take his shot at the PGA Tour.

But first, there's the matter of winning the conference title and playing in the NCAA Championships next month. The Rebels, along with Texas Christian and San Diego State, are the favorites to win the MWC title, which is played annually at a neutral site.

In addition to Han, Knight will play Matt Kinsinger, named the conference's golfer of the month this week, Eddie Olson, Brett Kanda and Ji Moon. UNLV is seeking its first conference title since 2002.

"We've been in the last group in each tournament, and that's where you have to be to give yourself a chance to win," Knight said. "We're really close to playing collectively at a high level. We just need to get over the hump."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.