INZAI CITY, Japan — On Thursday, Taylor Moore delivered an impressive performance at the Zozo Championship, securing the lead with a score of 7-under 63 following the first round of the only PGA Tour event held in Japan.
Trailing closely behind were Max Greyserman, Nico Echavarria, and Eric Cole, who each recorded a score of 64 at the Narashino Country Club. Two players from Taiwan, C.T. Pan and Kevin Yu, positioned themselves two strokes back, completing their rounds with scores of 65.
Moore showcased his skill with an eagle on the challenging 562-yard 18th hole — which was also his ninth hole of the day — remarkably chipping in from just over 100 feet.
“I had plenty of green to work with,” Moore reflected. “I hit a nice chip and it went in.”
Both Moore and Echavarria share a victory on the PGA Tour so far, while Greyserman and Cole are in search of their inaugural wins. Greyserman made a return to the tournament stage after a two-month hiatus, during which he finished as a runner-up in two of his last four events before taking some time off.
“It was kind of a lot of on-and-off,” he explained. “Instead of just like one month fully off, it was like a full week off, then maybe like a day or two — and then another full week off.”
In addition, Greyserman admitted, “I haven’t really played or practiced that much, to be honest. I mean, when you hit as many shots as all the guys out here have in their whole life, it doesn’t really leave you.”
Cole, who previously lost in a playoff at the Honda Classic last year, is also eager to clinch his first victory.
The first day at the tournament saw mixed results for several prominent players among the no-cut field of 72. Local favorite and 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama finished the day at 1-over 71, falling behind the leaders.
Defending champion Collin Morikawa kicked off his campaign with a score of 69, while Xander Schauffele, who holds both the PGA and British Open titles, struggled with a score of 3-over 73. Schauffele faced difficulties on the par-4 ninth hole, where he incurred an 8 after his tee shot landed behind a tree.
“I should have just taken an unplayable, but I was an idiot and tried to hit it,” Schauffele admitted. “Then I was stubborn and tried to hit it again, before finally taking an unplayable.”
When questioned about any lessons learned from his experience, Schauffele mentioned, “I think having false confidence helps at times, but in those situations, it really doesn’t. I’ll definitely assess things better next time and really think about whether I can get it out or not.”