Page 21 - PPA National Championship 2022

dollars and a chance to play another match. Moore had played in a

previous Parade of Champions segment and beat Vance Randall and

Neil Connor. This time he qualified as the leading money winner for
1965, but his preparation was limited – as was his health. He played

Lee Weldy (the #2 money winner for 1965). Weldy took a 4 on the

opening hole and allowed Moore to take a two-stroke lead since the
matches were medal play (total strokes) and not a match-play format.

Weldy parred hole two, then aced the next 5 holes to take a one-stroke
lead. Moore aced hole 9 to bring the

match back to even at 3-under par. Both

players shot 4-under on the back nine to
tie at 7-under par. The match went to

hole one, the hole that Weldy had

previously double-bogeyed. It was also
the first time a sudden-death play-off

would take place on the televised series

since its induction in 1961. Weldy would
ace the hole and Moore would lip-out on

the right side of the cup with a putt that

was just a bit too firm. It is not known
whether Moore was feeling the effect of

his cancer at the time of the match, nor
did he show any discomfort during the
Lee Weldy
televised broadcast. His only comment

about his game was that it was off just a little. Tracy Moore would die
just a few months later – being buried in his favorite black PPA shirt.

So, it is very fitting that the man that enjoyed the sport about as much

as a person can and was the ultimate sportsman - would have his name
associated to the award that demands dedication and consistency. The

Tracy Moore Low Stroke Average award started in 1970.