Moore leads Zozo Championship, Morikawa and Schauffele struggle

American Taylor Moore grabbed a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Zozo Championship as defending champion Collin Morikawa and world No 2 Xander Schauffele made rough starts at the Narashino Country Club in Japan on Thursday.

Moore carded a career-low opening-round score on the PGA Tour as he sank six birdies and a brilliant 100-foot chip for an eagle on the par-five 18th, finishing with a seven-under-par 63. His only blemish was a bogey on the fourth hole.

Round 1 leaderboard @ZOZOCHAMP 🇯🇵

1. Taylor Moore (-7)
T2. Max Greyserman (-6)
T2. Nico Echavarria
T2. Eric Cole
T5. C.T. Pan (-5)
T5. Kevin Yu
T7. 9 players at -4

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 24, 2024

His compatriots Max Greyserman and Eric Cole, and Colombia's Nico Echavarria were tied for second place.

"I had plenty of green to work with. I hit a nice chip and it went in," Moore said of his eagle.

Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship and the British Open this year, had a poor start after his tee shot on the par-four ninth got wedged between the roots of a tree.

The 30-year-old attempted to dig it out twice but the ball did not move before he laughed at his own predicament and took an unplayable lie, finishing the hole with a quadruple-bogey.

"I should've just taken an unplayable, but I was an idiot and tried to hit it," said Schauffele, who finished the round at three-over.

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

Twice major winner Morikawa opened with a birdie but bogeyed the fourth and double-bogey on the sixth, before recovering with three birdies to finish at one under par.

Former world No 1 Justin Thomas finished at four-under-par to sit tied for seventh.