Zozo Championship: Collin Morikawa takes first-round lead at PGA Tour event in Japan

Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa shot 64 at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Zozo Championship; Coverage of the tournament continues live on Sky Sports Golf from 4am on Friday

Collin Morikawa shot a six-under 64 to lead the Zozo Championship after the first round of the PGA Tour event at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club.

Home player Mikumu Horikawa and victorious Team Europe Ryder Cup member Nicolai Hojgaard were among five players just a shot back on the course on the outskirts of Tokyo, the only tournament on the North American circuit to be held in Japan.

Morikawa has Japanese ties on his father’s side, although it is unclear who his distant relatives in Japan might be. Regardless, he was excited about his start as he aims for a first PGA Tour victory since the Open two years ago.

“For me, this tournament obviously has a little more meaning,” Morikawa said. “But look, a win is a win, I’ll get a win anywhere, right?

“I’m doing everything I can over the next three days and tonight to make sure I give myself the best chance to do that.

“We were able to travel here and play golf and just learn a little bit more and reconnect with the culture and basically my history.”

Japanese player Horikawa joked about looking at the leaderboard and seeing a ‘kawa’ at the top – but that was Morikawa and not him.

“So oh, I’m not,” Horikawa said. “Oh, I want to catch up with him.”

The Zozo Championship field is full of Japanese connections and many local players.

Xander Schauffele, three back from age 67, has maternal grandparents living in Tokyo and his mother, Ping Yi, has roots in Taiwan and grew up in Japan.

His mother-in-law is also Japanese, and his wife is half Japanese and grew up on the southern island of Okinawa in Japan.

Rickie Fowler’s mother has Japanese roots and his grandfather, Yutaka Tanaka, is Japanese. Kurt Kitayama’s mother was born in Japan and his father, Clifford, is Japanese-American. Fowler and Kitayama each shot 71 in the opening round.

Schauffele’s parents also lived in Tokyo for a while. He said he knows the language, but not fluently.

“I need a lot of help,” Schauffele said. “The more time I spend here, the more I pick up sentences.

“When my parents didn’t want me to understand something, they spoke Japanese. I’ve experienced it all my life.”

Coverage of the Zozo Championship continues Sky Sports Golf from 4 a.m. and Sky Sports main event from Friday 4:30 am. Also stream with NOW.