Taylor Moore opened with a 7-under 63 featuring an eagle at the par-5 18th and a single bogey to take a one-shot lead at the Zozo Championship in Japan.
“I’d say just very solid [round] overall. Did a pretty good job hitting fairways and greens for the most part. Couple chip-ins as well, which always helps. Yeah, overall, very solid.”
The American tied his career-best 18-hole score on the PGA Tour first recorded in round 4 of the 2023 Wyndham Championship. A 63 also marks his career-low opening-round score and matches the tournament first-round score (Hiroshi Iwata/2021). He leads the field in Strokes Gained: Around The Green (2.979).
More holds the first-round lead/co-lead for the third time on Tour and the second this season (2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic/T4, 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open/T2).
Americans Max Greyserman and Erica Cole are part of a three-way tie for second place at 6-under alongide Colombian Nico Echavarria.
Defending champion Collin Morikawa (T35) opened with 1-under 69 as he seeks to become the first player to successfully defend his title at the Zozo Championship.
“I just kind of went through a little lull, missed a couple numbers, started missing some fairways,” said the American. “Out here if you miss the fairways, it just plays a little bit tougher and you just can’t get close to the pins. Didn’t really make any putts, so didn’t really save my round.
“But it was nice to just kind of have a clean back nine and finish in the red, still be in it. This is a tough golf course and I know I can still make a lot of birdies, just got to be patient.”
The championship is co-sanctioned with the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO) with a total of 14 JGTO members in the field.
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Nos. 1-50 in the FedExCup standings through the Tour Championship are locked in their positions, while Nos. 51 and beyond carry their FedExCup points into the Fall. Nos. 51-60 through the FedExCup Fall will qualify for two Signature Events in 2025: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Genesis Invitational. No players moved into Nos. 51-60 this week.
The Top 125 will be exempt into all Full-Field events and The Players next season and Nos. 126-150 will earn full Korn Ferry Tour status and conditional status on Tour next season.
