Seamus Power, contesting a first US Open, posted a respectable one-over par 71 competing in the afternoon half of the draw in suburban Boston.
Power bogeyed his third hole but three birdies in four holes from the fifth to eighth holes steadied proceedings for the World No. 41.
The Waterford golfer birdied the par-4 fifth hole, and then the par-4 seventh and par-5 eighth hole, and where he had a 35-foot putt for eagle that pulled-up a few feet shy of the cup for his birdie ‘4’.
However, Power under-did his hard-fought gains over the outward nine with a hat-trick of bogeys to commence his inward hard to fall back to one-over for his round.
He then had a great chance to get back to level for his round when his 30-foot uphill birdie putt at the par-4 17th just stopped on the very edge of the hole, ahead of him parring the last in a one-over starting score.
Canadian Adam Hadwin grabbed a career first to lead the US Open by a shot after his opening four-under-par 66.
Five players officially share second on three-under – England’s 31-yea-old unheralded Callum Tarren, Rory McIlroy, Swede David Lingmerth, American Joel Dahmen and little known 33-year-old South African M J Daffue.
Shane Lowry meanwhile produced a disappointing opening score of a two-over 72 with an outward eighth hole birdie but an inward half of three bogeys.
Lowry was among three players in 41st group of the opening day each sporting beards in the three-ball of fellow Open Champions of Phil Mickelson and Louis Oosthuizen.
Though much has changed in the bigger picture since Lowry was anywhere near Mickelson and/or the South African who has been banned by the PGA Tour for competing, having signed to compete under the LIV Golf umbrella.
Lowry stepped onto the opening tee wearing a white shirt, and has he had hinted a day earlier, he was wearing a Boston Celtics logo on his shirt. Brookline is just southwest of Boston, so Lowry’s shirt played to the fans in the area. His timing worked perfectly too since Boston was hosting Game 6 of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Golden State Warriors later on the opening day.
However, Lowry kick-started his 10th U.S. Open and a 36thmajor with caddy ‘Bo’ Martin extending out his right arm to signify the drive was well right of the fairway.
He eventually sandwiched an eighth hole birdie ‘4’ among nine outward pars before the disappointment over his inward nine.
Lowry will commence his second round sharing 57th place.
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