Columnist Victoria Sun: The drive is on to launch a UNLV women's golf team

Victoria Sun is a Las Vegas sports writer. Her golf column appears Wednesday. Reach her at [email protected] or 259-4078

There's a question on the mind of UNLV athletic director Charles Cavagnaro these days.

Depending on the response, the UNLV athletics program may be adding a new sport in the future.

See how you'd answer this one: Are Las Vegans ready to support a UNLV women's golf team?

If you answered yes, then plan to be at the Desert Inn Golf Club on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m.

The Executive Women's Golf Association and the UNLV Women's Sports Foundation is holding "Fore," a fund-raiser to help start a Lady Rebels golf team, and you can be sure that Cavagnaro will be there to observe the turnout.

For a $30 donation or $100 for a group of four, guests will be able to putt with current and former LPGA Hall of Famers and tour players as well as other celebrities.

The event, held in ballrooms 3 and 4 at the D.I., will also feature an elegant spread of refreshments and a silent auction of golf-related memorabilia. Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling 944-2464.

Darcy Neighbors, a UNLV alumnus and president of Consultants in Marketing, was asked to spearhead the project to get a women's golf team on campus. She was initially approached by Judge Sally Loehrer, Mark Mushkin and Lisa Kellner, the associate athletic director of the UNLV women's foundation.

"Personally, I grew up playing sports," Neighbors said. "I love golf and went to college on a volleyball scholarship.

"That whole aspect of my life I think helped me with my success in business. I would love to have my two little girls grow up and play golf. I think it's really time to have a women's golf team here. I think the city is ready to have it and UNLV is also ready."

Cavagnaro is also receptive to the idea of having a women's golf team, but there are other issues at hand.

Without breaking out a calculator, Cavagnaro estimates that it will cost $225,000 to $250,000 to run a high-caliber golf program that will require additional revenue from outside sources. He also stressed that if UNLV adds women's golf, he wants to make sure that the sport becomes a nationally ranked power like the men's golf team, not just an exercise in gender equity.

"There are a lot of ways of going about it," he said. "The fact is it is going to take additional revenue to get this program on the right foot.

"What I'm in favor of is exploring every avenue out there. What we have to do is match the resources through the board of regents with donors. Thursday night is an attempt to get a grip or feeling for the level of support out there."

So far, the response has been positive.

Steve and Elaine Wynn, Mayor Oscar Goodman, Gov. Kenny Guinn and first lady Dema Guinn, Rep. Shelley Berkley and Dr. Larry Lehmer and Sen. Harry Reid are all on the "Fore" reception committee.

Neighbors said that the goal for the evening is to raise a minimum of $100,000 through tickets and donations.

* PERFECT PUTT: With a little advice from LPGA Tour player Juli Inkster, Sherri Stafford of Ames, Iowa, sank a 10-foot putt to earn half of $25,000. Stafford putted after Inkster and nine other tour players competed in the Gillette Tour Challenge, the prelude to the season-ending PageNet Tour Championship at the D.I.

Stafford was randomly chosen by Gillette to putt for the prize. Before Stafford putted, she said Inkster gave her some tips.

"I believe I closed my eyes because all I seem to remember was the cheering so I thought, 'Oh! I made the putt,' " Stafford said. "Then I think I grabbed Juli and hugged her and twirled her around a few times.

"I still can't believe I did it. I can't believe it."

Inkster and partner Rosie Jones didn't walk away from the exhibition empty-handed. The twosome shot an even par over five holes in an alternate-shot format to split $8,000.

The other half of the money Stafford won will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

* JUNIOR GOLFER IN FINALS: Congratulations to 12-year-old Aaron Slonim of Las Vegas. Slonim has qualified for the Golf Channel's Drive, Chip & Putt National finals to be held Saturday. In March, he competed against 100 other juniors to become one of 30 finalists representing eight regions of the U.S. The Golf Channel will air the finals in a half-hour special on Nov. 25.

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