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Moore rides eagle to one-stroke lead at Zozo Championship

golf24 October 2024 15:28| © Reuters
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Taylor Moore © Gallo Images

Taylor Moore carded a 7-under-par 63 on Thursday to seize a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Zozo Championship in Chiba, Japan.

Moore's 63 matched his career-best score set during the final round of the 2023 Wyndham Championship.

The 63 also tied the tournament record for a first-round score, set by Hiroshi Iwata in 2021.

Moore highlighted his opening round by sinking an eagle on the 562-yard 18th hole at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club.

"Hit a good 3-wood off the tee. We had 5-iron in," Moore said of his approach on the hole.

"I just missed the green short left in a good spot. I had plenty of green to work with. Hit a nice chip and it went in."

Moore, who also had six birdies to offset his lone bogey, is bidding for his second win on the PGA Tour.

He emerged victorious at the 2023 Valspar Championship.

Max Greyserman, Nico Echavarria of Colombia and Eric Cole reside in a three-way tie for second place, one shot ahead of Taiwanese golfers CT Pan and Kevin Yu.

Collin Morikawa has some work to do if he wishes to become the first golfer to successfully defend his title at this tournament.

Morikawa, who breezed to a six-stroke victory last year, shot a 1-under 69 on Thursday.

Local favourite Hideki Matsuyama fell far off the pace after carding a 1-over 71 on Thursday.

Matsuyama, who is from Ehime, Japan, won the event in 2021 and was the runner-up in 2019.

Xander Schauffele stumbled out of the blocks by taking a quadruple-bogey on the par-4 ninth hole. He finished with a 3-over 73.

"I should have just taken an unplayable, but I was an idiot and tried to hit it," the reigning PGA and The Open champion said.

"Then I was stubborn and then tried to hit it again, then finally took an unplayable."

Schauffele was asked if he learned anything during the ordeal.

"I think having false confidence helps at times, and in those spots it really doesn't," he said.

"So I'll definitely try to assess it a little bit better next time and really think if I can get it out or not."

The no-cut event is the fifth of eight tournaments on the FedEx Cup Fall schedule, which finalises the top 125 players who will retain exempt status for 2025.

Nos 126-150 after the fall will retain conditional status.

Players who finished Nos 51-70 in the FedEx Cup have secured their tour cards but are competing for spots in the first two signature events after the season-opening The Sentry on 2-5 January.

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