A blistering start gave way to back nine frustrations for Seamus Power in his first round at the Shriners Children’s Open which promised much but ultimately fell flat.
The 35-year-old got off to a fantastic start at TPC at Summerlin, birdieing four of his first seven holes to briefly hold the lead, but he would find the going tougher after the turn.
Only one birdie on his back nine – which was the front nine having started his round at the 10th – alongside a bogey and a double-bogey led to a two-under 69 in Las Vegas and down in a share of 55th after round one.
Power had gotten off to a superb start by birdieing his opening two holes, and he would add two more at the par-three 14th and par-five 16th before making the turn at four-under.
But when he couldn’t convert an eight-footer for birdie at the par-four first, he would be made to pay for that miss with a double-bogey at the par-four sixth, a pushed drive and a flubbed chip shot leading to a six.
The Waterford man did get one back with a birdie at the par-four sixth, but a six-foot par miss at the par-three eighth dropped him back to two-under-par and in need of a big second round to get himself into contention.
Tom Hoge leads the way after day one having carded two eagles and four birdies in an eight-under 63 to hold the solo lead, one shot ahead of Si Woo Kim and Maverick McNealy.
The pair both signed for 64s to sit just a stroke back, with McNealy firing six of his seven birdies on a back nine that took him just 30 shots to complete.
International Presidents Cup hero Tom Kim is among a group of players chasing down Hoge at six-under-par after a 65, with Sam Ryder, Thomas Detry and Sungjae Im – who nearly had a remarkable hole-out off a rock – also on that score.
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