Present, future has UNLV men’s golf program excited

While those who follow the UNLV men's golf program can't wait for the calendar to turn to 2013, they would be remiss to overlook the 2012 spring season.

Coach Dwaine Knight has a much-heralded recruiting class waiting in the wings for next season. But he's excited about the journey this year's team is about to embark upon, beginning today in Kahuku, Hawaii, at the 54-hole John Burns Intercollegiate.

The Rebels, ranked No. 14 in Golfweek magazine's college poll, won three of the four tournaments they competed in during the fall. They have a strong 1-2-3 punch in senior Derek Ernst, junior Kevin Penner and sophomore Blake Biddle, which Knight believes is enough of a cornerstone to not only get UNLV back to the NCAA Championships for the 18th time but to make a run at the title come June at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

"It will depend on how our Nos. 4 and 5 players perform," Knight said. "I feel real good with our top three. But if we can get some consistent play from our four and five spots, we have a chance to be pretty good."

The original plan was for sophomore Nicholas Maruri and senior Colby Smith to support Ernst, Penner and Biddle. But Maruri fractured his wrist while skiing in December and is unlikely to play this spring. Smith, who a year ago injured his wrist while mountain climbing, never has been able to regain his form from 2010 when he was second on the team in scoring with a 72.41 stroke average per round.

Instead, Knight will turn to freshman Carl Jonson, who played well in the fall and is in the No. 4 slot. Arthur Kim, a junior who played in four tournaments last spring and shot a 69 in the third round of the ASU Thunderbird Invitational, will play No. 5 this week at the 7,198-yard, par-72 Turtle Bay Resort. Knight also plans to give freshman Kurt Kitayama a chance to crack the starting lineup in the coming weeks.

"Nico's injury was a tough one because he played very well in the fall and we were counting on him," Knight said. "But we'll hopefully get someone to step up and take over. Carl got some valuable experience in the fall, and he's had some good practice rounds. If we can get Colby going and push Arthur for that fifth spot, I think we'll be all right."

Knight thinks Ernst, who is on the national watch list for the Ben Hogan Award, which goes to college golf's top player, will finish his UNLV career in a big way. He was the 2011 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, and almost won the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship last summer, losing the final match in a playoff.

"Derek's really close," Knight said. "He's one of the best we've ever had. He's worked really hard on his game, and I think he's ready for a breakout spring."

The Rebels, who came within one shot of winning the Mountain West title a year ago, will have to deal with defending champion San Diego State as well as New Mexico and Texas Christian at this year's conference championships, May 4 to 6 in Tucson, Ariz. UNLV hasn't won the conference title since 2002.

"It's the usual suspects," Knight said. "We were so close last year, and one of our goals is to win the conference. I think we've got the talent to do it this year."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.