Wilson Furr punctuated a strong finish with a nearly 20-foot birdie putt to shoot a 6-under 64 and tie Taylor Moore for the lead after the opening round of the Texas Children's Houston Open on Thursday at Memorial Park Golf Course.
Furr, a PGA Tour rookie ranked No. 278 in the world entering this week, started his round on the back nine before heating up on the front. After a birdie at No. 3, he holed out from the fifth fairway for an eagle 2 and finished his round birdie-birdie, including his long putt at the par-3 ninth.
Moore rebounded from an opening bogey by chipping in for eagle at the par-5 third hole. He added five birdies without a bogey the rest of the way. The 30-year-old is now one year removed from his only career PGA Tour win, at the 2023 Valspar Championship.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler began his quest for three wins in three starts by shooting a 5-under 65. Scheffler won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship before heading to his home state of Texas. He is tied for third with Davis Riley and Joe Highsmith.
Beau Hossler, Argentina's Alejandro Tosti, Englishman Aaron Rai and Canadians Mackenzie Hughes and Adam Svensson are tied at 4-under 66.
Tony Finau, the champion the last time the Houston Open was played (November 2022), opened with a 1-under 69. Wyndham Clark, the second-highest ranked player in the field behind Scheffler, said he hurt a muscle in his back to begin the week but is attempting to play through it. He carded an even-par 70 to start the week.
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