Former UNLV golfer recalls time with national title team

UNLV golf coach Dwaine Knight (File)

Daron Dorsey played golf at UNLV and was a member of the first graduating class of the UNLV Boyd School of Law. He was honored by the school as the 2017 alumnus of the year on Saturday. Courtesy photo Daron Dorsey.

Make no mistake, Daron Dorsey isn’t Charley Hoffman or Bill Lunde on the course. Or Adam Scott or Ryan Moore.

And that’s just fine by him.

Daron Dorsey played at UNLV from 1994 to 1998 and was a member of the Rebels’ national championship team in 1998. He didn’t contribute a stroke during the title run, but off the course he was the ultimate role model.

“He was 100 percent invested in school and doing his best in anything that came his way,” UNLV coach Dwaine Knight said. “He was a leader for us academically, a great mentor to the younger players and set a high moral standard for us. He also was and still is very passionate about Rebel golf.”

Dorsey wasn’t part of the traveling team for the 1998 NCAA Golf Championships, but once the Rebels had a legitimate chance to win, he drove from Las Vegas to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to watch the final round. He celebrated the victory with his teammates before driving back the next day.

“I got to be around the best day in and day out,” Dorsey said. “I still use the lessons I learned as a Rebel. In anything you do, you can’t ever stop competing, and I am still inspired by people who strive to be the best and push themselves.”

Dorsey was president of UNLV’s Student-Athlete Advisory Board, served as a student ambassador for former UNLV President Carol Harter and the UNLV Foundation, and was appointed to a student government position.

He also served on the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee that argued legislation at the 1997 NCAA Convention and was a conference student-athlete award honoree. After receiving his bachelor of science in business administration in 1998, Dorsey graduated in the charter class of the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV in 2001.

Dorsey now is general counsel for Ainsworth Gaming Technology and was the first former player to be named to the UNLV men’s golf foundation board. He received the UNLV Boyd School of Law 2017 Alumnus of the Year award Saturday.

“I’m thankful for the opportunities I have had, and choosing to play golf at UNLV was either the best or luckiest decision I ever made,” Dorsey said.

Deal of the week

Residents can join the Las Vegas National text club at 51660 and receive two free drinks and get updates about deals.

Howard Hughes Trophy

The Shriners Hospitals for Children Open champion this year will hoist The Howard Hughes Cup for the first time. The new hardware is named in honor of The Howard Hughes Corp. and billionaire Howard Hughes.

Hughes purchased the 22,500 acres of land that is now the Summerlin master planned community in the 1950s. TPC Summerlin is the Shriners’ host course, and the Hughes Corp. is a major long-term event sponsor.

Golf fans can take photos with the new trophy from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday in the Dining Arroyo at Downtown Summerlin.

Stars on, off course

Inspired by the Big One for One Drop, a high-roller poker tournament during the World Series of Poker, a high-roller golf tournament will take place Nov. 4 and 5 at the Major Series of Putting.

One Putt for One Drop will take place in the MSOP stadium behind Planet Hollywood Resort and is scheduled to feature celebrities playing to benefit One Drop, a foundation created by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte. He is also a founder of the MSOP.

Celebrities include American former professional tennis player Mardy Fish, actor Jack Wagner, former baseball pitchers Eric Gagne and Josh Beckett, and professional poker player and MSOP ambassador Daniel Negreanu.

The golf notebook appears each 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 or LVGolfInsianu.