Rebels’ Moore moving to position among elite

Adam Candee

Friday, May 7, 2004 | 9:27 a.m.

Thieving knee-high rough snatched hope and the smothering humidity coaxed sweat from Ryan Moore as he searched for his ball at No. 17 during last June's NCAA championships on Oklahoma State's brutal Karsten Creek course.

Sitting right of seemingly everything but the cart path, in a spot that would terrify most, on a hole that devoured some of college golf's best players, Moore tied together all of the heart, poise, imagination and skill that makes him an outstanding golfer and displayed to UNLV coach Dwaine Knight in a simple statement that he was ready to leap forward in his development:

"You know, I'm going to be able to make it out in four here," Moore told his coach.

Moore did just that, scrambling for a par. Knight felt right then that Moore was on the track that has led him to become the nation's second-ranked college golfer in his junior season with the Rebels. UNLV awaits a likely NCAA Regional berth after last week's third-place finish at the Mountain West Conference tournament.

Moore won the individual medal in that field, just as he did a month earlier at the National Invitational Tournament in Tucson. In fact, ever since the Rebels' trip to Alabama in October, Moore has played what even he calls the best golf of his life.

"His ability to do things with the golf ball is a rare occurrence," Knight said of Moore.

Knight compared Moore to a who's who of past Rebels including Chris Riley, Chad Campbell, Adam Scott, Jeremy Anderson and Michael Kirk. Right from the start of his UNLV career, Moore set the bar that high by finishing in the top 10 at nationals as a freshman.

Now, though, Moore is playing at that level more consistently than ever before. Starting at the Jerry Pate Intercollegiate in Alabama, Moore has carded 15 of 24 rounds in the 60s and recorded six finishes in the top 3 to move himself behind only Hogan Award winner Bill Haas in Golfweek's individual rankings.

Why did it all start in Alabama? Moore really does not know and, like most golfers, he is not about to mess it up by asking too many questions.

"I got just a calmness about me and started feeling comfortable out there," Moore said.

Knight really began to notice a difference in Moore at the Match Play Championships in November, during a match against Florida's best golfer, Camilo Villegas. Moore emerged from a tight battle with a 2-and-1 win, impressing Knight with his ability to control himself even when Villegas appeared to be in better spots.

Although Moore said the prospect of shooting for the PGA now is "tempting," he wants to honor the commitment he made to Knight to stay for four years.

"I don't think my right time is quite yet," Moore said.

Knight concurs, saying that Moore will likely be the top-ranked golfer in the nation heading into next season.

"I think it's smart for him," Knight said. "He's got a chance to be the guy next year."

Heck, he's got a chance to be the guy this year. Moore is very pleased with his swing and his ball striking, citing only his putting for holding him back. But even that comes with a positive -- Moore is missing more scoring putts only because he is hitting more greens and getting more chances.

"I'm just giving myself more opportunities than I'm used to," Moore said.

A highly recruited junior and a watched player throughout his college career, Moore does not mind the fact that his gold standard of play is drawing more attention. In fact, Moore, who has played at the Masters and at the U.S. Open, welcomes it.

"I love it," Moore said. "It's just one of those things. I enjoy that little bit of extra pressure.

"It's not anything more than the expectations I have for myself."

That drive is the first thing that drew Knight to Moore, long before the kid who grew up pounding balls at his father's driving range in Puyallup, Wash., grew into his talent.

"He was such a competitor," Knight said. "That's what I was attracted to. He's a battler."