Two-time PNGA Men's Player of the Year just the third Northwest player to play in Ryder Cup
Ryan Moore of Puyallup, Wash. was the last player named by Captain Davis Love III to the U.S. team for the 2016 Ryder Cup. Moore is a captain's pick, chosen because of his hot playing of late, particularly when the FedExCup Playoffs began a few weeks ago, which included a tie for seventh at the Barclays Championship (the first playoff event) and followed it up with a tied-for-eighth showing at the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Moore had been playing so well that Love invited him to attend a pre-Ryder Cup showcase event, which Moore declined because of prior family commitments.
And then Moore nearly won The Tour Championship - the final event in the FedExCup Playoffs - only to fall in the fourth sudden-death playoff hole to Rory McIlroy.
It was Sunday evening, after the finish of the playoff against McIlroy, that Davis called Moore to tell him he'd been selected as a captain's pick, filling the last spot on the U.S. team, and would tee it up against the European team the following Friday at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn.
Moore is just the third player from the Northwest to be selected to play in the Ryder Cup. Seattle-native Fred Couples played in five Ryder Cups (1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997), and Tacoma-native Ken Still played in the 1969 Ryder Cup.
During his professional career, which began in 2005 after graduating from the University of Nevada-Las Vega, Moore so far has five PGA TOUR victories and 58 top-10 finishes.
But it was his play as an amateur by which Moore made his name.
During an epic 2004 season, following his junior year at UNLV, Moore received national attention when he set a new standard in amateur golf by winning five major amateur championships, a feat that may never be matched. He captured the U.S. Amateur, the NCAA individual title, the U.S. Amateur Public Links (which he also won in 2002), the Western Amateur and the Sahalee Players Championship, becoming the first golfer to ever win all five events in the same year.
He had the opportunity to turn pro, but decided to return to school for his senior year, and would be rewarded with the recognition of winning every major player of the year award that is given out in collegiate golf - the Ben Hogan Award, the Nicklaus Award and the Haskins Award.
Moore was selected as the PNGA Men's Player of the Year in 2002 and 2004 (and also the PNGA Junior Boys' Player of the Year in 2000).
