Spieth's Roommate FQ's on Monday, Wins eGolf/Gateway Event on Thursday

GILBERT, Ariz. -- For Alex Moon, the week didn't start out that well. He played in a Monday qualifier for the Waste Management Phoenix Open and missed the cut. 

So he went a few miles down the road from the PGA Tour event and entered eGolf/Gateway Tour's Winter Tournament #3, a part of that tour's West Coast Series. And despite not having a chance to play a practice round at Trilogy Golf Club at Power Ranch, he got himself into contention with rounds of 65 and 67, then put together a flawless 64 on Thursday to win the event -- and $16,000.

His 54-hole aggregate of 196 was two better than the second-place totals posted by Jonathon Krick and T.J. Howe.  

Moon is a 25-year-old from Dallas who was a star at the University of Texas. His roommate was an even bigger Longhorn star, and also from Dallas: Jordan Spieth, the 21-year-old prodigy who has already won three times as a professional, been the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2013, made the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2014 and earned more than $10 million in all.

For his part, Moon has now won two eGolf/Gateway events (the previous one came in 2013), and this latest victory was impressive. He started the final day four strokes out of the lead and cut the deficit to one with a 2-under 33 on the front nine at Trilogy. It could have been better if his putter had given him a little more help, but the putter came around as soon as he started the back nine, and he ran off four consecutive birdies at the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th holes.

A two-putt birdie at the 558-yard, par-5 17th gave Moon a two-stroke lead going into the difficult, 413-yard, par-4 18th, and he made a routine two-putt par to close the deal.   

The 26-year-old Howe, a former Penn State star who won four times on the eGolf Tour before it merged with the Gateway Tour this year, birdied the last three holes on Thursday to shoot a 65. That got him into a tie with Krick for second, which was worth $8,700. 

Andre Metzger, the vagabond golfer -- he was born in Oklahoma, grew up in Arizona, went to Lamar University in Texas, lived in Sioux Falls for a while (and was the leading money-winner on the Dakotas Tour while he was there), and now lists Scottsdale as his residence -- tied for 12th with a 204. He got better each day, starting with a 69 and following it with a 68 and a 67. That was worth $2,020, and Metzger, who turned 33 on Friday, remains No. 5 on the eGolf/Gateway money list with $15,176 in seven events.   

eGOLF/GATEWAY TOUR

West Coast Series

Winter Tournament #3

At Trilogy Golf Club at Power Ranch

Par 71, 6,932 yards

Gilbert, Ariz.

Final results 

1. Alex Moon, Dallas                              $16,000    65-67-64--196

T2. T.J. Howe, Osceola, Pa.                     $8,700    67-66-65--198

T2. Jonathon Krick, Peoria, Ill.                  $8,700    64-67-67--198

T12. Andre Metzger, Sioux Falls             $2,020    69-68-67--204

T19. Cameron White, Wayzata                $1,475    67-70-69--206

T28. Neil Johnson, River Falls               $1,105     68-71-69--208

T37. Casey Vangsness, Alexandria         $1,015     69-70-75--214

Missed cut (139) 

Rodney Hamblin, St. Paul                                      68-76--144

Brandon Askew, Fargo                                          78-71--149