As professional golf continues to be played on mini-tours across the country, Haley Moore became the latest winner on the Cactus Tour.
The former Arizona standout and current LPGA rookie collected $2,500 by defeating 16 other players in the three-day event that concluded Thursday at Sun City (Arizona) Country Club. Moore shot 65-69-65 to finish at 13 under, two shots clear of Sophia Popov.
“I’ve played in these events before I went to Q-School and everything, and I just wanted to stay competitive through this time just because if I go home to California, there’s not really much stuff open right now,” Moore said in a “Golf Central” interview on Thursday evening. “In Arizona, they are keeping the courses open right now, so that’s a good sign. I think that just me being outside doing what I love with golf, I just love it better than just staying inside, but I’m also keeping healthy and staying safe, as well.”
Since the LPGA, PGA Tour and other top tours were halted in mid-March, Moore has teed it up in all three Cactus Tour events in the greater Phoenix area. She said she plans to head back to California for a couple of weeks before potentially returning to Arizona for more Cactus Tour events later in the month.
“I just want to stay competitive and stay sharp with my game,” Moore said, “and then just also stay healthy with my body and everything to get ready for the tour once it starts up again.”
The next Cactus Tour tournament is scheduled for Wednesday-Friday at Western Skies in Gilbert, Arizona. Despite criticism, the mini-tour continues to be played without spectators and with other safety measures in place – twosomes, one player to a cart, pool noodles in holes, no bunkers rakes.
Arizona, in consistency with other states’ stay-at-home laws, currently deems golf as an allowable activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s very safe what they’re doing,” Moore said.