Ryan Moore last won on the PGA Tour at the 2012 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. He played well again last week in the Shriners posting a T-9 and collecting $162,000 to start the 2014 season.
He continued his strong play Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in the CIMB Classic. After a bogey at the first hole he ran off five birdies and carded a four-under par 32 for his first nine holes. He added five more birdies on the back nine and his nine-under par 63 was the best round of the day. Moore has two PGA Tour wins and over $15 million in career earnings.
This is the first year the CIMB Classic will award FedEx Cup points to the participants. It has increased the purse to $7 million with $1.3 million going to the winner.
Keegan Bradley trails Moore by two shots. He made five birdies on his first nine holes, but only added two more birdies on the back nine for his seven-under par 65. Bradley did not have a win in 2013 and is looking to correct that mishap in the 2014 season.
Sergio Garcia is one more shot back at six-under par and is alone in the third spot.
Rory Sabbatini, Boo Weekley, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Chris Kirk and Chris Stroud are all tied at five-under par.
Phil Mickelson jumped in his private jet and made the long trip to Malaysia. He is eight shots back of the leader with a first round one-under par 71.
It appears unlikely that Nick Watney will win his second consecutive CIMB Classic title. He shot a first round three-over par 75 and is T-65 in the 78-man field.
Other players in the field of note: Rickie Fowler (71), Bill Haas (72), Ernie Els (76) and Bubba Watson (78).