Ex-Bulldog Taylor Moore wins his first PGA event First place worth $1.45 million

By Steve Steele 2012 Edmond Memorial graduate

Taylor Moore snatched up his first PGA Tour win at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, FL March 19th.

PGA Tour victory, his wife had flown in to see the final round and the couple is expecting their first child next month.

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He was clutch down the stretch in carding a final round 4 under par 67 and played the last 10 holes 4 under par with four clutch birdies and several clutch pars with no bogeys in that stretch. He had to wait around and prepare for a possible playoff but his pursuers made costly mistakes the last few holes on the difficult Copperhead course at Innisbrook.

Jordan Spieth and Adam Schenk were trying to match Moore’s -10 total. Spieth was the first to falter off of the tee on the difficult 16th hole pushing his 3 metal tee shot into the middle of the pond on the right. Spieth made a miraculous bogey on the hole, getting down in two shots from 163 yards. On the par 3 17th, Spieth hit his 4 iron tee shot to 6 feet, but missed the birdie try.

Spieth had to birdie number 18 to get back to -10 to tie Moore but ran his first putt by 4 feet andmissed the comebacker to card a bogey and finish at -8. Schenk just needed a par on 18 to force a playoff but his tee ball went a little left into the gallery and nestled up 3 inches from a pine tree.

He was forced to hit a toe down left handed wedge, which he was able to advance all the way across the fairway into the right rough. His third shot did not make it up the ridge near the hole and rolled back to 40 feet, just on the fringe. Schenk hit the putt firmly up the slope and it was heading straight for the cup, but it was carrying too much speed, missed the pin, hit the back right of the cup and hopped out. Schenk was also gunning for his first

Moore was able to hug his caddie and then his fiance’ who had flown that morning with her father to witness the final round. Taylor was unaware they were in the gallery until he spotted them near the 18th green when he was finishing. Moore played clutch down the stretch. He finished the front nine with a birdie. On the most difficult hole of the day, the par 4 12th, he stiffed his approach shot to 2 feet, the closest shot of the day and tapped in his birdie to go to -8 to get within one shot of the lead, which was shared by Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood and Schenk who were part of the two groups playing behind Moore. Then on the par 4 15th hole Moore again hit the closest shot of the day into the green with his approach shot stopping 5 feet 11 inches away. He rolled that putt in to tie Spieth and Fleetwood at -9 and trail the leader, Schenk, who had gotten to -10 after making a 70 foot bomb of a putt on No. 12.

On the 16th, the first of three holes nicknamed “The Snake Pit” due to their difficulty, Moore hit his approach shot from the left rough to 28 feet, his putt dropped into the center of the cup and the crowd cheered loudly. That birdie got him into a tie with Spieth and Schenk at10 after they had just completed the 14th hole. On the difficult par 3 17th Taylor hit his tee shot into the front right bunker and had about 20 yards to the pin. Not taking much time, he got in there and splashed his bunker shot to a foot away, to convert a clutch par save. The 18th is a tight driving hole and he pulled it a little left on the same line Schenk’s ball would take a few moments later, however Moore’s ball stopped short of the tree

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Christian Duvall Owen

It is with the utmost sadness that we wish to inform you of the passing of our son, Christian Duvall Owen. He experienced a sudden medical event while kayaking in Lake LBJ in Marble Falls, Texas on March 16th, 2023 and went to the Lord for eternity. Christian had not been feeling well for some months with multiple doctors unable to diagnose the illness. He leaves behind his parents Steve and Kelly Owen, sisters Kaitlin Owen and Amanda Owen, grandmother Lina Owen, grandfather Kent Carlisle, grandparents Gigi and Aubrey Linne, great uncle and aunt, Rick and DeeAnn Carlisle, great aunt Shirley O’Neil, uncle and aunt, Kent and Heather Carlisle, cousins Melanie and Baylee Carlisle, uncle Randy Owen and cousin Gavin Owen, aunt Jami Owen, cousin Aurora Owen Carter and husband Clayton, cousins Cashford Owen and wife Katie Owen and their children Sophia and Shepherd Owen, in addition to 6 step aunts and uncles and 16 step cousins.

Christian was born in Midland, Texas on May 14th, 2001. He attended Midland Christian School from kindergarten to 3rd grade. His heart’s call to baptism came in the 1st grade and he was baptized that year at Stonegate Fellowship Church. The family moved to Oklahoma in 2010 where Christian attended Emmanuel Baptist School in Enid for the remainder of 3rd grade and then moved to Edmond. He attended Casady School from 4th through 12th grade and was a member of Crossings Community Church.

Christian had a tremendous love for everyone. His spirit walk was a testimony to all. He loved going to church whenever he could. He was a student Chaplin during his time at Casady School. He was such a giver and loved so deeply. He was a humble servant. He was always there whenever anyone needed him. He noticed and valued everyone. One of his greatest joys in life was spending time with friends and family. Hosting friends for barbecues, movie nights, swimming pool parties, poker, pool and game parties, all brought him immense joy. He loved bringing people together.

Christian played football and baseball, ran track, wrestled and was active in various clubs and organizations. Christian received numerous awards for leadership, character and athleticism. He participated as a lawyer and judge in the Youth and Government organization. He and a best friend, Ford, competed and placed in the National finals in Chicago. Christian was a volunteer for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of College Station, Texas and was a big brother to a young adolescent. He poured his heart, soul and commitment into making a difference in his young life. Christian was a Junior at Texas A&M University majoring in Environmental Studies in the College of Geosciences and was on the Dean’s Honor roll. He was a member of the Iron Spikes - a Social, Spirit and Service Men’s Organization at the University. Christian also loved the outdoors and spending time at his ranch. He loved hiking, camping, exploring nature, fishing and hunting. He even became a “Fourteener” successfully ascending Torrey’s Peak, a difficult 14,000’ mountain peak in Colorado. Christian was also a master woodworker (he would deny master) making wonderful furniture and everyday items for family and friends. Christian loved photography, drone flight and music. He was a self-taught guitarist and wrote his own songs.

Christian was a kind, sincere, loving, generous, hardworking, thoughtful, protective, dependable, courageous, committed, creative, intelligent, sensitive, witty/funny, honest, loyal, Christian young man. He was light and love and joy to us. Christian’s final earthly gift was as a tissue and organ donor to 100+ recipients.

We are shattered and broken by his loss from our lives, but we will continually thank and praise God for the 21 years of pure joy he brought, and the faith inspired difference he made in our lives.

Services were held Saturday the 25th day of March in the Casady School Chapel

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

The Christian Owen Scholarship Fund at Casady School – 9500 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, OKC, OK 73120 and/or

National Parks -National Park Service, Accounting Operations Center, c/o RDMT Deposits, 13461 Sunrise Valley Drive, Herndon, VA 20171 and/or Big Brothers Big Sisters - 315 Tauber St, College Station, TX 77840

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 trunks and he had an unobstructed swing but had to maneuver his second shot around some tree limbs, he was 167 yards away and was able to land the ball on the front of the green, the ball scooted to the right and down a slight slope coming to a stop on the fringe and leaving him a 65 foot uphill putt, a difficult putt to get down in two, as mentioned by golf commentator Paul Azinger. He smashed his first putt up the hill and the ball stopped 5 feet short, he stroked the 5 footer into the right center of the cup. His 67 was the lowest score coming out of the final 11 groups of the day, 22 players.

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The victory was worth $1,458,000 to take his career earnings to $4,506,976, in just his second season on the PGA Tour. He moved up 38 spots to No. 9 in this year’s FedEx Cup standings. The win also earned him an invite to the 87th Masters this April 6-9, the 105th PGA Championship May 15-21, The Sentry Tournament of Champions next January in Hawaii and a two year exemption on the PGA Tour.

Taylor Moore attended Arkansas University where he was a two time All-American for the Razorbacks (2015-2016). He currently makes Carrollton, TX his home base and practices at Maridoe Golf Club. In his post round interview he credited his short game coach, Josh Gregory, who he has been working with since Covid started. Gregory is the former National Champion coach at Augusta State and later at SMU and the past five years has been coaching many PGA Tour, college and elite junior golfers. Taylor grew up taking lessons from Brian Soerensen at KickingBird and he won a couple of 6A State High School Individual championships while he was a Bulldog.

He reached No. 3 in the world junior rankings. The last several years he has given back to junior golf by being the title sponsor for the Oklahoma Golf Association State Junior Championships being held at KickingBird. During the redo of KickingBird the tournament has moved to Lincoln Park and will be back at KickingBird in 2024.

He was an accomplished baseball player as a youth, his father, Rod Moore, is a former high school baseball coach. His parents met at the U of A, his father played baseball for the Razorbacks and his mother, Melinda Moore, was a cheerleader. His father has been in the oil and gas business for several years and his mother was a longtime counselor at Edmond Memorial High School.