Scottie Scheffler eyes third straight PGA Tour win after great start at Houston Open

Scheffler followed his five-shot victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational by becoming the first player ever to successfully defend the Players Championship.

Aiming to become the first person to land PGA Tour titles on three consecutive starts since Dustin Johnson in 2017, Scheffler – who had shaved off his beard since his Sawgrass triumph – made the perfect start at Memorial Park.

The American, starting on the 10th, missed his first three greens, but picked up shots at the 13th and 17th to reach the turn two under.

A birdie on the par-three second was followed by two more in the next three holes as Scheffler finished at five under, one shot behind clubhouse leaders Taylor Moore and Wilson Furr.

"I had a solid round. Bogey free is always nice, especially around a golf course like this," Scheffler told reporters. "It is nice to be able to keep the card clean."

Scheffler had been struggling with a neck problem at Sawgrass, where a closing 64 saw him take the title by one stroke, but hopes he is now on the mend.

"(The) neck is feeling better, body feels good. The off week was good for me to get some rest, get some rehab," he said. "I took a couple more days off than I typically would last week, so it was some good recovery time."

Moore, defending champion last week at the Valspar Championship, had started his round with a bogey, but soon built some momentum following an eagle on the par-five third to turn in 31. A couple more birdies saw him home at six under and into the clubhouse lead.

Furr joined him late on, birdies on the final two holes following an eagle on the 14th, lifting him to the top of the leaderboard.

Joe Highsmith also sat alongside Scheffler in a tie for third, while England's Aaron Rai was among a group of players from the early starters at four under.