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It hurt too much to bend over, so his new bride, Nichole, tied his shoes.
When Moore got to the PGA West Nicklaus Course for his second round in the Humana Challenge, he wasn’t sure he could play.
After a session of physical therapy, Moore grabbed a new putter – and went out and shot the low round of his PGA Tour career.
His round – 11-under-par 61 – tied the course record. It was the low round of he event and of the tour this year. And it got him a tie for 14th.
“Bizarre,” he said of the score that passed 89 players after he opened with a 72.
Even more amazing was that Moore made bogey on both the second and third holes. His 35-foot eagle putt at No. 4 started an amazing finishing streak that included 11 birdies in 13 holes.
He needed just 21 putts in his round, including nine putts the final nine holes, to tie Charlie Wi’s 2009 record on the Nicklaus course. “Most of them were in the 10- to 18-foot range,” Moore said. “I almost did not realize, because of my slow start, how well I was playing. I was just thinking about making the cut.”
The trio of leaders include Mark Wilson, who shot a career-low 62 on the Palmer Private course, first-round co-leader David Toms (65) and Oregon’s Ben Crane (63).
They are at 16-under 128, three shots ahead of the field.
Bob Hope’s name is no longer part of this reformatted tournament, but its tradition of stunningly low scores is going strong.
Low scores always dominate the former Bob Hope Classic, which features two of the PGA Tour’s three easiest courses. Add a second day of ideal Palm Springs weather, and exceptional play is necessary just to stay in contention.
Rookie Harris English had a 62 on the Nicklaus Private course to join five players in fourth place at 13 under.
“That’s what you’ve got to do out here,” said English, from the University of Georgia.
SOUTH AFRICAN LEADS
South Africa’s Branden Grace, coming off a victory last week in the Joburg Open, shot a 7-under 66 and opened a four-stroke lead in the Volvo Golf Champions event in Geroge, South Africa.
Grace, seeking his second European PGA Tour victory, has a total of 12-under 134 midway through the event.
Staff writer Todd Milles contributed to this report.
