Tommy Moore – A Legend Remembered, Honored With Youth Event

Young boys and girls will play in an important local tournament to honor a man who died much too young.

In 1997, Tommy Moore became seriously ill with a rare blood disease Amyloidosis and passed away on May 24, 1998 at the age of just 35. But he is certainly not forgotten.

The inaugural Tommy Moore New Orleans PGA Junior Open will be held June 17 at Lakewood.  The tournament will feature four age groups for boys and girls: 9-11, 12-13, 14-15 and 16-18.

The 9-11 boys will play 18 holes.  The 9-11 and 12-13 girls will play nine holes.  The tournament is part of the revamped Gulf States Section PGA Junior Golf Tour, that will hold 13 events in Mississippi and Louisiana.

I first met Tommy when I came I came to New Orleans right out of college to begin my PGA Apprenticeship, he was 13 years old.  Tommy was one of those rare special talents.  He worked hard at his game.  I would arrive for work at Lakewood in the morning at 7:30, and he would be there working on his putting before he went to school.  The golf course superintendent would constantly remind Tommy not to putt so long in one space. Moore would wear out the grass and leaving two brown footprints.

But the owrk paid off for Tommy. His junior career was stellar.  I will list just some of the highlights:

* New Orleans Junior City Champion

* New Orleans High School All-District three times

* Team State High School Champions – De La Salle

* De La Salle Most Valuable Player three times

* Named to the USA High School All- Amercian Team

* Southern Golf Association Junior Champion

* Won AJGA Tournament of Champions twice

* AJGA Player of the Year

* Ranked #1 Junior Golfer in the United States by Golf Digest Magazine

Tommy’s amateur career was marked with continued achievement:

* Three time All-American at Oklahoma State

* Member of the Oklahoma State NCAA Championship team

* Academic All-American

* Second alternate for the United States Walker Cup Team

* Louisiana Amateur Champion

* While attending Oklahoma State finished 8th in the New Orleans PGA Tour

Tommy’s carried his skills to professional golf

* He earned his PGA Tour Card by finishing second at the qualifying school.

* In Tommy’s first year on tour, he had four top ten finishes that included a 7th place  finish in New Orleans.

* When Tommy was not competing on the PGA Tour he competed on what is now the Nationwide Tour winning the Boise Open.

* Tommy Maintained his PGA Tour Card until 1995.

* Tommy continued to work on his game while being the Director of Instruction at English Turn in 1996.

Moore’s was a life that gave so much to other people and the game of golf that he loved.  His legacy is important to golf – not just in New Orleans but to our entire country.

As I said earlier he was special and I am honored to have known Tommy.  Having the Tommy Moore New Orleans PGA Junior Open at Lakewood at the course where he grew up is just a small gesture of our respect for him.  His childhood friend

PGA Tour Veteran Kelly Gibson will serve as Honorary Tournament Chairman.

To enter championship you can contact the Gulf States PGA Home Office at gulfstates.pga.com and you can register online.  If you have any questions you can contact the Gulf states PGA Junior Golf Director Jaime Anderson at 985-725-1655 ext. 1003 or Jimmy Headrick, PGA at pga1916@aol.com or 504-460-6686.