UNLV golf alumni hope to increase leading PGA Tour win total

It starts to feel like golf season when the PGA Tour hits the West Coast swing as it does this weekend with the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego.

Five former UNLV golfers are looking to win not only for themselves but to help boost the school's total number of PGA Tour victories by former players. Rebels alumni scheduled to play this weekend are Chad Campbell, Derek Ernst, Andres Gonzalez, Charley Hoffman and Chris Riley.

According to a recent Golf Channel statistic, the Rebels program had 12 PGA Tour wins by alumni since 2010 and was tied with Georgia for the most, ranking ahead of such powers as Oklahoma State and Texas. Talk about a sweet recruiting pitch.

"It's always been a goal of ours to help players get to the PGA Tour, and it's a part of the fabric of our program to have guys out there playing," UNLV coach Dwaine Knight said. "They generate a lot of interest, and people from all over the world know about UNLV golf because of them. Deep down our players all want to get to that level.

"A nice thing about having guys on Tour is when they are in town they come by and see our players and speak directly to them. They let them know firsthand about the commitment that is needed. Sometimes it seems like a distant goal to a young player, but in this case, they can actually see people who went to school and not long ago were in the same place they are, but are now playing golf at the highest level."

Butch helps Rickie

Rickie Fowler started working on his swing with Las Vegas resident Butch Harmon two years ago and has collected four wins since. Fowler, who briefly lived in Summerlin, is ranked fourth in the world after winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship last weekend.

Fowler had won twice as a professional before working with Harmon, who operates his school at Rio Secco Golf Club.

Deal of the week

This Las Vegas golf deal will keep on giving. The 2016 Golf Passport, created by the nonprofit Southern Nevada Golf Association, features nine free rounds of golf plus 242 deals at 49 area courses, including dozens of two-for-one offers. It retails for $49.95 and can be purchased at SNGA.org.

May earns lifetime award

Longtime rules official Sue May has been awarded the prestigious Ike Grainger Award by the United States Golf Association. The award recognizes 25 years of service.

Around the area

* LPGA Tour player and Vegas resident Danielle Kang got in a workout with magician/aerialist Kristi Toguchi at Aerial Fitness recently.

* Former Major League Baseball players Kevin Millar and John Lackey were spotted playing golf at Shadow Creek.

* Seven-time major champ Inbee Park, a Bishop Gorman High School graduate, played Bear's Best last week.

* Nomination forms are available for the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame. Go to LasVegasGolfHOF.com to nominate for the Class of 2016.

The golf notebook appears every Thursday. Freelance writer Brian Hurlburt is a two-time author who has covered golf in Las Vegas for more than two decades. He can be reached at bhurlburt5@gmail.com. Follow on Twitter: @LVGolfInsider.

CALENDAR

Sunday: US Kids Golf Event, Las Vegas GC (USKidsGolf.com)

Sunday: LV Junior Golf College Prep Tour, Chimera GC (LVJGA.org)

Feb. 4-6: Duel in the Desert, Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort (GCAmtour.com)

Feb. 10: SNGA Tour event, Revere Golf Club (SNGA.org)

Feb. 13: LV Junior Golf Winter Series Kickoff, Desert Willow, Durango Hills (LVJGA.org)

Feb. 13-14: SNGA Primm Valley Championship, Primm Valley GC (SNGA.org)

Feb. 14-15: Primm Valley Junior Amateur, Primm Valley GC (LVJGA.org)

Feb. 17: TaylorMade Golf Weekly League Season Opener (TaylorMadeGolfExperience.com).

Feb. 21: The Pahrump Classic, Mountain Falls (GCAmtour.com)

Feb. 21: US Kids Golf at Los Prados (USKidsGolf.com)

Feb. 22-23: Fourth annual Primm Valley Shootout (Pro Purse at PrimmValleyGolf.com)