ORLANDO, Fla. – When the Players Championship field was released Friday evening, Taylor Moore found himself as the last man into the 144-player field. Less than three hours after the Tour released the field, though, Moore had dropped down to first alternate, a product of a field correction: Henrik Stenson was still eligible from his 2016 Open Championship victory.
“I had a few buddies send me the tweet,” Moore said. “Kind of sucks, but oh well.”
It’s not the first time that Moore has experienced some bad luck with the field list. After parlaying a stellar season on the Korn Ferry Tour last year into his first PGA Tour card, the rookie out of the University of Arkansas notched a pair of early top-25s, at Sanderson and Shriners, and was headed down to Mayakoba, comfortably in the field.
“I think I was four spots in when I got on my flight Sunday afternoon,” Moore said, “and by the time I landed I was three out. There was something like seven top-10s in Bermuda that pushed me out.”
Despite the bad news, Moore is hopeful. He figures he’ll end Sunday as the second alternate after the winner of the Puerto Rico Open is added, and he plans to drive from Orlando up to TPC Sawgrass on Monday morning. There are a few players who are banged up entering The Players, including Bryson DeChambeau, who has been battling wrist and hip injuries yet remains committed to play.
“I’ll cruise up there tomorrow,” he said, “and prep like I’m going to get into the tournament and hope for the best.”
Full-field scores from the Arnold Palmer Invitational
If Moore gets in, he’ll likely take the event in Dominican Republic off between Valspar and San Antonio. If he doesn’t?
Moore: “Try to get three cracks at winning and getting into Augusta.”
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