UNLV golf tied for 16th at NCAAs

The UNLV men's golf team got off to a slow start at the NCAA Championships, posting a 6-over-par 294 total in the first round at Ooltewah, Tenn.

UNLV was in a four-way tie for 16th place in the 30-team field, 11 strokes off the lead. Oklahoma State and Florida State both shot 5-under 283. Only six other teams shot par or better.

The Rebels will have some work to do in today's second round and Thursday's third round. The top eight teams after 54 holes will advance to match play Friday through Sunday for the championship, and UNLV is seven shots behind the eighth-place team.

"Nobody really got hot," Rebels coach Dwaine Knight said. "We were 6 over, so probably not too bad for the way we started off. There is still a long two days to go."

Knight, who coached UNLV to the national championship in 1998, has had success at The Honors Course, with the Rebels taking second in 1996, three strokes behind Arizona State.

Derek Ernst and Colby Smith paced UNLV, as both shot par 72, which put them in a 16-way logjam for 36th among 156 golfers. Eddie Olson shot 74 and Brett Kanda 76 to round out the Rebels' score.

"I got off to a great start, then I had a little break because there was a backup for 30 minutes or so," Ernst said. "I struggled after that. It was an up-and-down round."

Ernst had no complaints about the course, which is playing a lengthy 7,395 yards.

"It is a great course," Ernst said. "To think that Tiger Woods has been here and won back in 1996, it is just great to be here."

Arizona State's Jesper Kennegard and Augusta State's Henrik Norlander were tied for the individual lead at 4-under 68, with 10 players one stroke back.

Oklahoma State and Florida State each had three players shoot under par en route to sharing the team lead.