\n<\/p>\n
Xander Schauffele called himself “an idiot” after he carded a quadruple-bogey eight during the opening round of the PGA Tour’s Zozo Championship in Japan.<\/b><\/p>\n
The 30-year-old United States player’s wayward tee shot on the par-four ninth at the Narashino Country Club wedged itself among some tree roots.<\/p>\n
Rather than take a penalty drop, the double major winner twice tried to hit the ball from out of the roots – only to fail to dislodge it.<\/p>\n
Schauffele shook his head and laughed as he considered making a third attempt, but finally took the drop for an unplayable lie.<\/p>\n
“I wanted to take a photo of it almost, how bad it was. For me to think I can do anything definitely got me in a hole there,” Schauffele said.<\/p>\n
“I should have just taken an unplayable, but I was an idiot and tried to hit it. Then I was stubborn and tried to hit it again, then finally took an unplayable.”<\/p>\n
It was the only blemish on an otherwise straightforward three-over round of 73 for Schauffele, who won both PGA Open and British Open earlier this year, which featured one birdie and 16 pars.<\/p>\n
Schauffele is 10 shots off first-round leader and compatriot Taylor Moore, whose round of 63 left him out in front at seven under par.<\/p>\n
Moore holds a one-shot lead over fellow Americans Max Greyserman and Eric Cole, and Colombia’s Nico Echavarria.<\/p>\n
England’s Harry Hall, who won his maiden PGA Tour title<\/a> in July, is five shots off the lead at two under, while defending champion Collin Morikawa of the USA is a further shot back.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n