Former Arkansas golfer Taylor Moore ran away from the field Sunday to win the Staal Foundation Open and earn a berth in his first PGA Tour event at the RBC Canadian Open on Thursday.
Moore, who led the Razorbacks to a 12th place finish at the NCAA championships this spring, won in his fifth start on Canada’s Mackenzie PGA Tour. The Edmund, Okla. native fired a 6-under 66 at Whitewater Golf Club in Thunder Bay, Ontario, on Sunday to beat Canada’s Corey Conners by three strokes and take the winner’s prize of $31,500.
The victory vaulted Moore into the top three of the Mackenzie PGA Tour Canada money list, which gave him an exemption for the Canadian Open.
“It’s a little bit surreal,” Moore said. “I’m trying to think of words to put to it. It’s kind of happening quick, which is a good thing. I don’t really want time to reflect on it. I just want to keep it going, play golf and have some fun.”
Moore has earned $53,392 in five events to rank second on the money list, trailing American Dan McCarthy ($106,383). The two Americans and Canadian Adam Cornelson ($37,297) earned exemptions for the Canadian Open.
Conners birdied his first three holes on Sunday to tie Moore, who responded with birdies at Nos. 3, 4 and 6 and an eagle at No. 7.
“We were all tied after three or four holes and I knew I was going to have to make some birdies and start hitting some shots and making some putts,” Moore said.
Moore had a four-shot lead at the turn and closed the round with a birdie on No. 18. He hit 88.9 percent of greens in regulation, far outpacing the tour average of 69.2 percent. Moore played all four rounds under par and finished with an 18-under 270.
Moore finished second in his first professional event, the Bayview Place Island Savings Open in Victoria, B.C., last month and hasn’t looked back.
“I’ve been pretty comfortable ever since I’ve been up here,” he said. “It’s definitely a good start and I’m going in the right direction and I’m excited.”
Moore has a 7 a.m. flight to Toronto today to begin his week at the Canadian Open. The event, which features a $5.9 million purse with a $1 million winner’s share, will start Thursday at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.
Other top players confirmed for the field include world No. 1 Jason Day and No. 2 Dustin Johnson, and Canadian Mike Weir, the former Masters champion.