Taylor Moore was alone at the top of the leaderboard for several hours until rookie Wilson Furr caught up with him late in the day.
The 25-year-old Furr (pictured) made an eagle and four birdies on his back nine to equal Moore’s six-under-par 64 in the first round of the 76th Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston.
Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship in his last two starts and is trying to win three events in a row for the first time Dustin Johnson did it in 2017, is tied for third at 65.
“It’s a dream come true, for sure,” said Furr, who has never won as a professional, but captured the 2018 Mississippi State Amateur Championship. “Just being surrounded by the best golfers in the world, it’s kind of inspiring day to day. I can’t ask for a better job than that.
“Had a good number (for his eagle hole out from 120 yards on the fifth hole). It was downwind and it landed right behind it, ripped right back to the hole and just never looked like it was going to miss.”
Moore, who has claimed three pro victories including the 2023 Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour, made a bogey on his first hole, but sank a four-foot eagle putt on the third hole and added five birdies in his 65.
Said Moore, who also won the 2014 Saguaro Amateur, holed out from 36 yards on the third hole and also added five birdies in another 64.
“After the first hole, just tried to see how many greens I could hit,” said Moore, who also won on the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour Canada. “I got off to a little bit of a jump start there on No. 3, chipped in for that eagle and birdied No. 4. That just got into the round.”
Scheffler made five birdies in his 65 and is tied for third with Joe Highsmith of Pepperdine, who birdied the last two holes, and Davis Riley, who eagled the 13th hole and had five birdies on the back nine.
Said Scheffler, who has won six times in the last three seasons including the 2022 Masters: “I don’t ever really put expectations on myself. I try to be committed to my shots. I try to stay patient out there. At the beginning of the week, I’m not looking forward toward Sunday. I’m just focused on today.”
Beau Hossler of Rancho Santa Margarita made four straight birdies on the front nine and is tied for sixth with Aaron Rai of England, who had four birdies on the back nine; Adam Svensson of Canada, who made three birdies on each nine; Alejandro Trosti of Argentina, who collected six birdies on the front nine, and; Mackenzie Hughes of Canada, who had three birdies on the front nine.
Peter Malnati, who won the Valspar Championship last week, is tied for 17th at 68, while defending champion Tony Finau shot 69 and is tied for 39th, and fourth-ranked Wyndham Clark, the reigning U.S. Open champion, is tied for 54th at 70.
For complete results and second-round tee times, visit: https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard
