Xander Schauffele Struggles at Zozo Championship

Xander Schauffele faced a challenging start at the Zozo Championship, carding a quadruple-bogey eight on the par-four 9th hole after making two unsuccessful attempts to play a ball lodged in tree roots. The world No. 2, who had been performing well up to that point, expressed frustration over his stubborn decision-making, admitting he should have opted for an unplayable lie instead. Despite the setback, Schauffele maintained that most of his day was low stress, with only one birdie and 16 pars adding to his three-over 73 score. His performance left him 10 strokes behind the first-round leader, Taylor Moore, who shot a remarkable 63. Schauffele's candid reflection on his mistake highlighted the unpredictability of golf, even for top players. The day's challenges were echoed by other competitors, including defending champion Collin Morikawa, who also struggled but managed a one-under 69.