Former UNLV golfer takes lead
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Former UNLV All-American Ryan Moore had a talk with himself a week ago after a third-round meltdown in the Frys.com Open at TPC Summerlin.
He must have been a good listener.
The 24-year-old matched his career-low round with a 7-under-par 63 on Friday to take a three-stroke lead halfway through the Fry’s Electronics Open at Grayhawk Golf Club. Moore, who has three second-place finishes in his three seasons on the tour, was at 11-under 129.
Moore, who underwent surgery on his left hand a year ago, said a minor change in his grip made the difference.
"I just felt comfortable out there," he said. "I’ve played well on this golf course before. I actually won a tournament (Thunderbird International Junior) here when I was 18. I just struck the ball well and gave myself a lot of chances."
Australian Mark Hensby was one of three tied at 8-under 132 after a career-low round of 61. Ben Crane and Daisuke Maruyama also were at 132.
The event’s biggest name, Phil Mickelson, shot 70 for a 1-over 141 and missed the cut.
Moore was at 12 under after his eighth birdie, on the par-4, 332-yard 15th, before losing a stroke with a bogey on the 17th.
"Something just kind of clicked and made sense to me after the round Saturday" at Summerlin, Moore said. "I played absolutely terrible on Saturday. I just was so frustrated, I went and sat down for about 30 minutes, just had a Coke and sat there and was like, ‘All right, I can’t take this anymore, shooting 76s on Saturday. It’s just driving me crazy.’ "
Then he thought of a minor adjustment to his hand position he might make.
"Something started making a little bit of sense to me," he said, "and I went out on the range and tried it, and it’s exactly what I’ve been missing for the last, you know, year, really."
The tournament, in its first year, is part of the PGA Tour Fall Series. The purse is $5 million, with $900,000 going to the winner.
