Rebels men’s golf team tries to rebound

After a rough start, UNLV’s men’s golf coach Dwaine Knight is hoping his team will raise its level of play at this weekend’s PING/Golfweek Preview.

The Rebels struggled to a 12th-place finish at the Inverness Intercollegiate in Toledo, Ohio. Knight knows his 16th-ranked squad will have to play a lot better if it hopes to contend at the Preview, a 54-hole event beginning Saturday at Purdue’s Kampen Course.

“It’s always important to be in this event because it’s where the NCAAs are played,” Knight said. “But we’re going to have to pick it up some. We’re going to a more difficult course than Inverness.”

Joining UNLV in West Lafayette, Ind., are host Purdue, Alabama, Arizona State, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Florida, Florida State, Georgia State, Lamar, Louisville, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Southern California and Texas A&M.

The format calls for 36 holes to be played on Saturday and 18 on Sunday.

Last year, the Rebels finished 13 shots behind Florida for fourth place at the Preview, which was played in Williamsburg, Va.

This year, UNLV will bring seniors C.J. Gatto, Matt Kinsinger and Jarred Texter, sophomores Eddie Olson and Brett Kanda and freshman Ji Moon.

Kanda and Kinsinger will square off for the Rebels’ fifth spot during today’s practice round.

“We’re still putting the pieces together,” Knight said. “I expect us to play better at Purdue.”