Columnist Adam Candee: UNLV’s Moore picks up where he left off — on top

Adam Candee

Wednesday, March 2, 2005 | 9:15 a.m.

Adam Candee covers golf for the Sun. Reach him at (702) 259-4085 or by e-mail at candee@lasvegassun.com.

Two weeks ago in this space (some call it a void, I know), Ryan Moore detailed his desire to get back out and shake off the rust after a winter of rest and planning for his pro career.

Rust? Seriously? It apparently does not apply to the guy for whom we're running out of superlatives.

Moore fired an 8-under 64 in the final round to win the John A. Burns Intercollegiate in Hawaii by seven shots after entering the day tied for the lead. He finished 20-under for the three-day event, helping the Rebels to a second-place finish, two strokes behind New Mexico.

This is a testament to Moore's overwhelming talent that he will take to the pros in a few months. He had not played competitively since the World Team Amateur in November (which the American team won, naturally) and yet Moore stepped right back into a pressure situation and shined with the tournament-low round of 64.

If he is already playing this well coming off a long respite, imagine what Moore might be able to do in a month at the Masters. The country's best amateur playing with the comfort level of having already seen Augusta National two years ago ... well, it's fun to think about it.

Still, a second-place showing to open the spring is a good start for UNLV as it readies for next weekend's home tournament that features most of the country's top teams.

Phil Mickelson won the last two stroke-play events he entered and showed respectably at last weekend's Match Play tournament. He also played three sub-70 rounds at last year's Ford Championship at Doral, where the PGA tour stops this week, before flaming out on Sunday.

How, then, is Lefty at plus-140 in a matchup with Tiger Woods this week? They know something. It's probably not enough to stop an idiot like myself from being attracted to it, but anyone with access to my dating records could see that I've made some sketchy choices on attractiveness in the past.

Adam Scott, both at 15-1 and at minus-105 against Match Play winner David Toms, is interesting as well. In his two stops in Florida last spring, Scott won The Players Championship and finished third at Bay Hill. And he happens to be playing about as well as anyone out there right now.

The First Tee of Southern Nevada, which is closely linked with the Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association, works to make golf accessible to kids of all backgrounds.

Individual entries cost $400 and foursomes get a small break at $1,500. There will be a cocktail reception and silent auction on April 17 as part of the tournament festivities.

All proceeds from the tournament will benefit the local chapter programs including disaster assistance; health and safety training; and armed forces emergency services.

For more information, contact the Red Cross at 791-3311.