Two-time main champion Xander Schauffele made a stunning begin to the PGA Tour’s Zozo Championship as Taylor Moore grabbed the early lead in Japan.
The world No 2 – the highest-ranked participant within the discipline – solely registered one birdie and racked up an unpleasant quadruple-bogey on the par-four ninth on his solution to a three-over 73 at Narashino Nation Membership, leaving him 10 strokes behind early pacesetter Taylor Moore.
Schauffele is tied-Seventieth within the 78-man discipline after the opening day, as Moore grabbed a one-shot lead over Max Greyserman, Eric Cole and Nico Echavarria after birdieing three of the final 4 holes of his seven-under 63.
Schauffele makes an attempt a number of occasions to hack out from tree roots. He finally took a drop and made a quadruple bogey on the ninth gap within the Zozo Championship
CT Pan is 2 again alongside Kevin Yu and Justin Thomas is three off the tempo after a four-under 66, whereas Collin Morikawa – who claimed a six-shot victory final yr – wanted two late birdies to salvage an opening-round 69.
Schauffele struggles at Zozo Championship
The reigning Open champion opened with 5 consecutive pars and continued his run on the par-five sixth, regardless of discovering water off the tee, along with his run ending when he made two failed makes an attempt out of the timber on the ninth earlier than having to take a penalty drop.
He pitched out along with his fifth shot and located the inexperienced along with his subsequent, with Schauffele knocking his putt a number of ft previous the outlet earlier than changing the hassle coming again to card a quadruple-bogey eight.
Schauffele is the highest-ranked participant within the discipline
Schauffele’s solely birdie of the day got here on the par-three thirteenth, the place he transformed from eight ft, with the American failing to benefit from both par-five over the closing holes.
“Total it was fairly low stress for essentially the most a part of the day,” Schauffele stated. “Like 85 per cent of the day was not very annoying. Quantity 9, it was an unbelievable spot. I wished to take a photograph of it nearly, how unhealthy it was. For me to assume I can do something undoubtedly acquired me in a gap there.
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“I ought to have simply taken an unplayable, however I used to be an fool and tried to hit it. Then I used to be cussed after which tried to hit it once more, then lastly took an unplayable. I used to be going to hit it a 3rd time too simply because, however yeah, it was a foul spot.”
Moore adopted two birdies in his first six holes with a pitch in-eagle on the par-five 18th, with the 31-year-old selecting up one other shot on the third then cancelling out a three-putt bogey on the fourth with a three-birdie burst from the sixth to seize the lead.
“I might say simply very strong general,” Moore stated. “Did a reasonably good job hitting fairways and greens for essentially the most half. Yeah, had a few chip-ins as nicely, which all the time helps!”
England’s Harry Corridor began with a two-under 68 and Morikawa recovered from dropping three pictures in three holes from the fourth to remain inside six of the lead, whereas house favorite Hideki Matsuyama opened with a one-over 71.
Watch the Zozo Championship all through the week reside on Sky Sports activities. Reside protection continues on Friday from 4am on Sky Sports activities Golf or stream with NOW.
