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"Off the Course" is where we talk to the players, learn about who they are, and get their thoughts about playing the game. From time to time we'll also interview college players about their junior careers and how college golf is different. We welcome your comments and suggestions. E-mail us or call toll free- 888-549-4653.
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Jonathan Moore
Portland, OR
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2001 AJGA All American - First Team
2001 Oregon Men's Amateur Champion
Medalist - 2001 Western Junior
Medalist - 2001 AJGA Robert Trent
Jones
Medalist - 2001 AJGA Ashworth Junior
Classic
Jonathan is a sophomore at the
David Leadbetter Academy in Florida and
we sat down with him at the 2001 Doral
Junior.
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Welcome Jonathan. Thanks for taking
the time to talk with us. Well, lets
get right to it with the most important
question. How was the fishing? People
come to Doral to fish all the time, did
you and your father have any luck?
It was great. They have those rocks
right there, and the bass love to hide
right in those rocks. I caught one fish
tonight. My Dad caught three though.
He’s the fisherman. I’m not as good as
he is, that’s for sure.
Do you fish up in Oregon? We know
you live nine months a year down here
in Florida at the Leadbetter
Academy.
We try. In Oregon the thing that is
big is trout fishing. People just love
to fly fish. I’m not that good at it. I
really haven’t done it that
much.
Have you fished with your Dad
always? Does he take you?
Yes. We always did growing
up.
What do you like about fishing?
We always compete when we fish. How
many did we get, get the scoreboard
going. It’s just nice and relaxing,
something different and I enjoy it.
It’s not very mentally intense.
As opposed to?
Golf.
Oh…golf! Yes I suppose we should
talk about that. Let me ask you the
standard question. How did you get
started?
I was eight years old. I had an
older
big brother who played baseball. I was
four years younger than him and I
followed what he did. But then he died
of a heart attack when he was almost
12. He had been born with a heart
defect, which they had repaired when he
was real young. But then later it gave
out on him. But after he died I dropped
baseball. I was never really good at it
anyway. We belonged to a club and I
starting watch my Dad hit a few. I just
sort of putted on the putting green but
it was a chance to do something I
really liked doing. So I chose golf. My
Dad was supportive and he got me some
lessons. And I loved it.
At what age did you start playing in
a tournament?
Nine years old. I was pretty
dedicated. That’s what I thank my
brother for. He was a focused kid. We
had a batting cage set up in our garage
and at age 11 he would go out there and
hit 100 balls off a tee with a weighted
bat and then 100 without a weight. It
was pretty amazing. So I picked that up
and I practiced everyday. I was really
into it. I did that for a year when I
took up the game. There were older kids
at the course and I played with them.
My Dad would come out and play with me.
My first tournament was the Peter
Jacobson up in Portland. I shot 63 for
nine holes in the Pee-Wee
Division.
Do you remember the day?
Yes. My first shot went out of
bounds.
Your first competitive tee shot went
out of bounds?
Yes. I still don’t like that golf
hole. Even today it still has my
number. That was my first tournament
and later that summer I won my first
event on a par three course. My 10 and
11-year-old summers I played more
events and when I was 11 I played
national tournaments and played Doral
for the first time. Things went from
there. After the summer when I was 14,
I got the chance to go to the
Leadbetter School. With the drive I had
it was the best move for me. I got to
try it for a semester on my own at age
14. Then my parents said, “Well, we’re
coming to live there too during the
school year.” We have this small condo
just down the street from the
Academy.
So your whole school has been at
Leadbetter since eighth grade?
Yes. Ever since. I go to the
Pendleton Academy. Paula (Creamer) and
I are in a lot of classes
together.
Favorite color?
Blue. I don’t know why.
Favorite movie?
Gladiator. Russell Crowe is a good
actor.
“What we do in life, echoes in
eternity.”
Yes. That was a great line. There
were a lot of great lines in that movie.
Well tell us about the sport and
what it means to Jonathan Moore.
The sport for me is meaningful
because I get to compete and I know I
am a competitor. It’s really good,
because my family travels with me and
we get to spend time together. That’s a
great thing. With my brother dying my
parents missed out on that with him so
we do so much together. That’s golf for
me,the competition and the family
time.
Do you think with your bother
passing on that you’re competing for
the two of you. Is it that heavy a
thing?
Not really. Do I do it for him? No.
I just enjoy it like he enjoyed
baseball. I do it with the same
intensity he did with baseball. That’s
what he taught me the most. To play
with real enthusiasm.
How tall are you now?
Six foot.
Did you hit a real growth spurt and
what did that do to your golf swing?
Oh yes. I was 5”5 when I was 13 and
grew 7 inches real quickly. You see
kids go through that phase and their
golf swings are all over the place. I
was fortunate to be at the golf academy
and had real great instructors to get
me through all that.
Close friends at school?
Trent and Tyler Leon and Casey
Wittenberg. We all came at the same
time to Leadbetter.
If I take those guys and put them in
a room and kick you out, what are they
going to say about you?
I’d hope they would say I have good
morals. I stand up for what I believe
in. I strive not to do certain things.
They’d probably give me grief too.
Trent and Tyler are the “cowboys”, I’m
the “tree hugger” and Casey is
the “redneck”.
Lets talk about your golf game a
little. What parts do you feel the most
confident about?
I have always felt good about my
putting and my short game has been
pretty good. But the last few months my
long game has really been coming
around, long irons and woods.
Are you a 2-iron guy or a 5-wood
player?
I’m a 2-iron guy. I use it off the
tee, you can do so much more with it.
I’ve learned how to hit it higher and
so I don’t have to worry about it
stopping.
Johnny Miller once said to be a
great player you have to be able to hit
nine shots: low-middle and high, left,
straight and right. How many of those
do you have?
I have all of them I think. I have
all those.
Tell us about the physical part of
the game. Can you share your workouts
with us.
Sure. I mean Tiger has changed all
that. If you don’t work out you’re
losing ground.We’re fortunate to have
the International Performance Institute
and they have 8 or so weight trainers.
We go there three nights per week. I
also work with a personal trainer three
days a week. We really focus on the
core, your abs, etc. to make that
really stable. Back and stomach
exercises are really important.
Can you talk a little about your
mental focus? How you approach a round?
I work with Robert Winters at
Champions Gate. He emphasizes being
really ready to hit the shot. Working
yourself into a state where you’re
totally ready to go. For me, I’ll say a
phrase of words before every shot as
part of my routine. You can’t fake
confidence so he works very hard on
that. I’ll call him tonight and we’ll
go over the round.
What is the biggest thing about
playing the game competitively versus
another sport?
I like the control I have. I like
believing that I can do it, hit that
great shot, make that putt. The biggest
thing for me is that I feel confident I
can do it.
What are your goals going forward?
Are you a goal setter?
Yes. I’d like to be player of the
year this year and first Team All-
American. In the next two years I’d
like to make the Walker Cup.
Well I think that’s all the
questions we have. Thanks for taking
the time and best of luck this
year.
You’re welcome and thank you. I
enjoyed the time.
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