Running Rebels attack UCLA, emerge with championship

Monday, June 1, 1998

Monday, June 1, 1998

Running Rebels attack UCLA, emerge with championship

M. GOLF: Bruin struggle to clinch title upstaged by exceptional golfing

By Rocky Salmon

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

For four days in late May the UCLA men's golf team played excellently.

The event: the NCAA Championships.

The time: last weekend.

The result: a disappointing eighth place.

For the Bruins, the beginning of the tournament - which began on May 27 - was horrifying.

At the end of the first round the Bruins would find themselves in 15th place, seemingly out of contention for the title.

But day two would be a whole different story as the Bruins would put themselves in the UCLA record books.

Shooting as a team, the 13-under-par Bruins would climb up from the cellar to tie Oklahoma State for the fifth-place position. UNLV would only be five strokes ahead of the Bruins, easily attainable if the Bruins shot half as well as the second round.

Day three would be a shocker to both the Bruins and the rest of the tournament field.

The Running Rebels of UNLV lived up to their name, as they sprinted ahead of the competition and ended day three 35 under par, a course record.

UCLA still was hitting on all cylinders, notching a four under par for the day, giving them 16 under par for the tournament.

The Bruins shot excellently, and in most tournaments their score would have been enough for a shot at the title, but UNLV owned the New Mexico course.

The Rebels were unstoppable as they killed the 7,151-yard Championship Course, leaving the other competitors in the dust.

At the end of round three, with only one final round left to play, UCLA stood at fifth behind Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, and Clemson, who trailed leader UNLV by 10 strokes.

The last day would prove to be a nail biter for UNLV and a state of mass confusion for the Bruins.

The Bruins, who were still in the hunt, slipped up big and would end up shooting a six over par, sealing their loss. UCLA would tie Houston for the eighth spot behind Minnesota, Ohio State, Arizona State - who was tied with the Bruins at the 15th spot after the first round - OSU, Georgia Tech, Clemson and UNLV.

The Running Rebels captured their first golf national championship ever and their second national title in school athletics.

But it was not as easy as it seemed for the Rebels, as they almost squandered away their 10-stroke lead UNLV had on Clemson entering the final round.

UNLV golfers would struggle on the course, shooting one over par and giving the Tigers of Clemson a chance to sneak in. Clemson would cut the lead to three strokes by the eighth hole, but it was then and there that Chris Berry shined.

Berry shot a five under par 67 in the final round to help stave off the Clemson stalking.

In individual play, Minnesota freshman James McLean, shot a 17 under par total for the tournament. McLean's play tied a tournament record set by John Inman. Phil Mickelson and Justin Leonard also tied the same record.

For the Bruins, individuals would be fruitless as each golfer struggled under the extraordinary shooting of the leaders. After round three Jeff McGraw and Brandon Ditullio were in the top 20, but only Ditullio would remain after the final round.

Ditullio would lead the Bruins by tying for the 20th spot in individuals. Meanwhile, experienced teammates Jason Semelsberger, who won the UC Irvine Invitational, and B.J. Schlagenhauf, disappeared into the bunkers in New Mexico. Semelsberger would end up shooting an eight over par, the worst score on the Bruin squad.

Ditullio kept the Bruins close all tournament and would end the tournament at five under par, followed closely by freshman McGraw, who shot a four under par.

In the end, the Bruins were swallowed up by record-breaking performances. Although the Bruins performed admirably, this NCAA Championship was won by near perfect play.