Padraig Harrington is facing an uphill task if he’s to make back-to-back PGA Tour cuts after an opening round of level-par 71 sees the two-time past champion tied for 95th after day one at the Cognizant Classic.
The three-time major champion made four birdies in total, including back-to-back red figures on the second and third holes as he made a fast start in benign conditions at PGA National’s Champion Course, but a bogey at six dropped him back to -1 as he headed for the back nine.
Now playing as a par-5, the lengthened 10th offers a birdie opportunity and he duly obliged, making another on 11 after a pinpoint 9-iron to inside three feet and he’d climbed to a provisional tie for 25th at -3. Despite the calm conditions, there is always danger lurking, however, and a badly pushed tee shot on the par-4 12th found the water leading to a double-bogey six, and after navigating the ‘Bear Trap’ holes in level-par, he pulled his drive at the last, again finding the hazard, and though he was able to advance his ball a little from inside the hazard lines, another six was the result, dropping him back to level par for the day and closing out a frustrating final third of the round.
Earlier in the day, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry shot matching 67s to post -4, and they finished the day tied for 16th, well in the hunt at three off the lead. That’s held by Chad Ramey and S.H. Kim, the former making seven birdies as he went bogey-free in the early wave, before later being joined by the Korean who made five birdies and an eagle enroute to his 64.
The wind is forecast to pick up on Friday, so we can expect scoring to be significantly higher on day two, so a round in red figures could yet be enough to see Harrington through to the weekend, and something similar for Lowry and McIlroy will see them enter the final 36 holes with eyes on the top prize.
Lowry, in particular, will be licking his lips as the course begins baring its teeth. The 2019 Open champion finished second here in 2022 and posted another top-five finish last year when PGA National played as one of the toughest tests on the regular PGA Tour circuit.
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