LA QUINTA — It all happened so fast for Ryan Moore it was kind of a blur.
“Really the last thing I remember was being 2-over through three and then I just walked off the 18th hole and I don't really remember anything after that point or in between those two points,” Moore said after a sizzling 11-under 61 on Friday in the Humana Challenge in partnership with the William J. Clinton Foundation.
Moore played his final 15 holes on the Nicklaus Private Course at PGA West in 13-under par. The barrage started with an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole of the course, followed by a routine par. But Moore then rattled off six consecutive birdies.
A par on the 12th hole was followed by five more birdies in a row before he finished the day with a par on the 18th hole.
The round tied the tournament record for the course set in 2009 by Charlie Wi. It also was the low round of the first two days of the Humana.
It also was Moore's low round on the PGA Tour by two shots.
Oddly, Moore said, it might have been bogeys on the second and third hole that were the key to the low round.
“That just kind of maybe in some ways just kind of freed me up,” Moore said. “You know you've got to make some birdies and sometimes you try forcing it a little bit. I just kind of let go and just started playing some golf.”
The 61 followed a 72 on Thursday for Moore and leaves him at 11-under 133, five shots behind the leaders of the Humana Challenge entering today's third round.
“After 20 holes or 21 holes I'm thinking about no chance of making the cut,” Moore said. “And now all of a sudden I'm back in the mix. So obviously I want to keep doing what I did today, hitting good quality golf shots and making putts.”
The round also was the first for Moore with veteran caddie Tony Navarro on Moore's bag.
“We're having a great week. He's a great guy with a ton of experience,” Moore said. “I thought that would, could really help me take that next jump in my career and start winning a little bit more.”
