Author: Jesse Dodson
With a two-round total (-7) 69-68-137 Chris Moody, for the second consecutive year, won the National Car Rental Utah Section Assistant PGA Professional Championship.
After round one at Soldier Hollow Golf Course June 19th, Moody was in third place, one stroke behind Jacob Holt and Pete Stone. However, with a consistent start to his second round at the Jeremy Ranch Golf & Country Club and 5 birdies, Moody secured the one-stroke victory over Zach Johnson (-6).
“I hit my driver pretty well,” said Moody. “I kept it out of trouble for the two days, not having to take any penalty shots. My iron play was pretty good,” he continued, “putting me in spots where I managed to make a couple of putts.”
Moody had no three putts the entire tournament and 9 total birdies. As usual, he is stringing together a successful season full of multiple championship wins.
Moody, Johnson and Matt Baird, finishing in the top three, qualified to play in the 2017 National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship at the PGA Golf Club Wanamaker Course in Port St. Lucie, Florida, on November 9th-12t.
“It is always a goal at the beginning of the year to qualify for all of our national championships,” Moody said. “There are a lot of great memories I have in Port St. Lucie having won it in 2007. I hope to have another great run this year.”
This win makes it two-in-a-row for Moody, winning the Tony Basso GM Black Diamond Open the week prior, and is now currently sitting comfortably in first place in the Omega Utah Section Player of the Year points race. The Golf Lab’s Tommy Sharp is in second place.
Along with the Assistant Professional Championship, Moody has the 99th PGA Championship to look forward to this August at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“I have heard from various guys how awesome Quail Hollow is, so I can’t wait to get on the course and get a feel for it,” Moody said about qualifying for one of golf’s major championships.
“It’s very cool watching The Open Championship and thinking I will be competing with these guys in just a couple weeks,” he explained. “I am anxious to see how my game will fair against them and am sure I will find out my weaknesses in a hurry, but understand that the only way we get better in golf, and in life, is to realize what your weaknesses are and turn them into strengths.”
“I think I am more excited for my family to see and feel how amazing a major championship is. They are going to be blown away on how many people there are and how much buzz and energy is in the air.”
It’s no surprise to find Moody and other Utah Section pros qualifying for national championships with the quality of competition in the Utah Section major events. The Assistant Championship is proof of that.