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Ryan Moore matched his career low round Thursday in Las Vegas.
Ryan Moore was closing in on golf’s historic number — then he three-putted from 34 feet on his penultimate hole.
Instead of a 59, Moore settled for a course-record tying 61 (click here to replay his round). It also matches his career low round on the PGA TOUR — he shot 61 in the second round of the Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation earlier this year.
“On a golf course like this and playing in these conditions it is right now; no wind and perfect temperature, greens are reasonably soft and rolling nice on top of that … It’s one of those days that you just keep putting it in play,” Moore said. “You know you’re going to have a bunch of pitching wedges, 9-irons, 8-irons into these greens, and a few shorter irons, too. I’m going to have enough pretty darn good birdie chances if I’m just in the fairway with them.”
It’s also the second straight year someone has shot 61 at TPC Summerlin. Hunter Haas did it last year in the second round before finishing in a tie for 10th.
In 1991, Chip Beck shot a 59 in this tournament, but that came at Sunrise Golf Club.
Moore, who began his round on the back nine at TPC Summerlin, went out in 29 with five birdies and an eagle. The latter came when he drove the short par-4 15th then sank an 11-foot putt.
Moore, who played collegiately at UNLV and has three top-25 finishes in six starts in Las Vegas, added three more birdies on the front nine before making a bogey on the par-4 eighth hole and another birdie on the par-5 ninth.
“I’m comfortable with the tee shots and the lines and where you can hit it through or what you can carry,” he said. “Just all the little things.”
