Strong fall bolsters Rebels’ high hopes

The longtime UNLV golf coach signed one of the nation’s top junior players for 2013 in Foothill High School’s Taylor Montgomery. His local freshmen – AJ McInerney and Zane Thomas – had strong starts to their collegiate careers, and the Rebels played well this fall, especially senior Kevin Penner and junior Blake Biddle, who both won individual tournaments.

“I’m very pleased and excited,” Knight said Wednesday as his team points to its spring season opener Feb. 20 in Hawaii. “We’re hoping to carry the momentum of the fall into the spring, and we have better depth, and Kevin is playing at such a high level. He’s lifted the play of the other players.”

Penner is coming off a victory at the Sun Bowl All-America Classic in El Paso, Texas. He had thought about turning pro during the summer but decided to come back for his senior year.

“I think Kevin’s really dedicated himself to being the very best golfer and student,” Knight said. “He’s worked really hard, and his putting has really come along.”

Biddle won the Wimberly Intercollegiate in Las Cruces, N.M., in late October, and he and Penner guided the Rebels to top-five finishes in three of the four team events in the fall.

“Blake has learned to balance things out better,” Knight said. “He was very consistent this fall, and we had a chance to win three of the four tournaments we played in.”

At this time next year, the Rebels could be favored to win those fall events with the addition of Montgomery and Chris Tuulik of La Jolla (Calif.) High School, who both recently signed national letters of intent. Montgomery, the son of former UNLV player Monte Montgomery, was an All-Southern Nevada selection as a junior and won the Class 4A individual state title as a sophomore.

“He’s a great athlete,” Knight said of Montgomery, who plays basketball at Foothill. “But he has so much natural talent, and he’s developed his game playing around the country in different conditions this past summer. I believe he’ll be able to step in and help us right away, the same way AJ and Zane did for us this fall when they both played three tournaments.”

Montgomery said he expects to contribute immediately.

“I’ve played with those guys a lot, and I’m very comfortable with staying home to play,” he said. “My dad told me how the program works, and I’m looking forward to playing for Coach Knight. He’s put a lot of guys on the (PGA) Tour, and that’s my goal – to play professionally on the Tour.”

Knight said Tuulik’s play at the Junior Worlds last summer boosted his recruitment, and UNLV’s success with other San Diego players, namely Chris Riley, Charley Hoffman and Bill Lunde, helped the Rebels land Tuulik.

“The game has become more athletic, and Chris fits that mold,” Knight said. “He’s big and strong, and he’s got a lot of upside. I see him coming here and helping us right away along with Taylor.”

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