Moore exudes confidence on golf’s hallowed ground

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Kids in every sport talk more than they used to.

It may sound jarring within the genteel confines of a golf course as opposed to, say, a basketball court — but get used to it. Even at the Masters, they’re going to have their say.

Exhibit A this year is 22-year-old Ryan Moore. Until Tiger Woods came along, Moore and his predecessors, at least the cockiest among them, were counseled to say nothing more boastful than, “I’ll let my clubs do the talking.”

If that were still the case, Moore’s 5-iron would be Don King.

Sprawled across an easy chair in the crow’s nest, Moore killed time during Friday’s storms watching a replay of last year’s PGA Championship. Playing in just his second Masters and alongside defending champ Phil Mickelson, the UNLV senior finished his rain-delayed first round two hours earlier at 1-under-par, within four strokes of the lead.

Last month, Moore told Golf Digest, “I really believe I can win the Masters,” and quickly made clear he didn’t mean “a” Masters someday, but this Masters. Based on what he’s seen so far, Moore is not about to change his tune.

“I don’t see why not,” he said.

Moore doesn’t throw around words, but he doesn’t run from questions, either. His eyes are still fixed on the TV set and the hair on the front of his head is matted from the cap he dropped on a side table. As he swivels the chair back toward a visitor, Moore looks younger than 22.

“I never played in a tournament in my life where that wasn’t the goal,” he said.

Golf might be the most humbling game of all, but it has yet to make a dent in this kid.

Maybe that’s because Moore made an unprecedented sweep of the five biggest events in U.S. amateur golf last year — no one won more than three before — and never shot a competitive round worse than 73.

Or maybe it was the way Moore calmly closed out several of those wins, going 64-66 at the Homestead to win the NCAA individual title, and making birdies at three of the last four holes on Winged Foot’s West Course to overtake Luke List in the final of the U.S. Amateur.

This week, Moore and List are sharing the crow’s nest, and whatever psychic damage that defeat inflicted has melted away. Or else some of Moore’s confidence has rubbed off on his roomie. Either way, List doesn’t mind taking his swing at whether it’s intimidating for college golfers to play next to the best in the world.

“You see their personas on TV, and it’s like they’re gods,” List said. “But they’re just normal guys.”

Compared to those “normal guys,” List still has a way to go. He shot 77 in the opening round, but was beginning to make up ground when rain cut round two short. The conversation segued to whether the rain delays wore out players.

“I’m from Seattle,” Moore said. “Usually, we just play in it.”

Moore grew up on a golf course built by his father, who also was his first and only swing coach. He didn’t model his game after anyone, but always liked Fred Couples, who also happens to be from Seattle. By coincidence, Couples was having lunch 10 minutes later in the clubhouse a floor below. He was asked if the kids coming out on tour seem less starry-eyed than when he made his debut.

“Maybe it’s because they play in so many tournaments, or because they’ve been taught so much more. But the last four or five years, they’re definitely more competitive,” Couples said. “Intimidation is becoming a thing of the past.”

In 1998, a Georgia Tech amateur named Matt Kuchar lit up this place with his smile and his game before slipping into a tie for 21st. Two years ago, Arizona’s Ricky Barnes was second as late as the middle of the third round and Moore finished a respectable tie for 45th. Last year, Casey Wittenberg of Oklahoma State motored up the leaderboard before settling into a tie for 13th.

“Things are different at this level,” Couples said. “You learn that in a hurry. He might be the guy to beat in every tournament he’s played in, but he’s not the guy to beat out here.”

Rick Smith, Mickelson’s swing coach, had a firsthand look at Moore’s unorthodox swing. It produces a low, penetrating ball flight that Moore controls with strong, dexterous hands.

Smith wouldn’t presume to tell the kid anything about his mechanics.

“But as a general rule,” Smith said, “I’d tell anybody coming out here he’d better be humble.”