The Valero Texas Open returned to TPC San Antonio this week, with Waterford’s Séamus Power looking to be in and amongst the weekend action to add to his steady start to the season.
Even though first round play was suspended due to darkness, the 39-year-old was able to complete his first round, shooting a one-under-par 71 to see him six shots off the current leader, Mark Hubbard.
Power began his day teeing off on the back nine and he couldn’t have asked for a better start, making a birdie at the par-4 tenth after a textbook approach saw him no less than six feet from the pin and the two-time PGA Tour winner tapped in for birdie.
Power maintained form through next three holes, before a wayward tee shot saw him amongst the trees on the par-5 14th. The best Power could do was find the greenside bunker from there, as he left the 14th in disappointment making bogey.
Power quickly bounced back with a birdie at the par-4 15th as he holed a tricky putt from the front of the green, before adding another birdie at the par-3 17th after a near perfect tee shot saw Power within tap-in distance to go two-under-par heading into his final nine holes.
Power maintained his composure to go even-par through his next five holes, until another misplaced tee-ball saw the Waterford man end up in a fairway bunker on 16, where he would go on to make a sore bogey.
Power closed out with three more pars, as he closed out his day with a respectable one-under-par 71, in a tie for 60th.
The evening groups suffered from a 90 minute weather delay earlier in the day as groups were then pushed out late, meaning that seven groups will have to complete their rounds on Friday morning, before the beginning of round two.
USA’s Mark Hubbard holds the lead at seven-under-par as the 36-year-old closed out his back nine in emphatic form, making six birdies in nine holes to post a 65.
Hubbard is closely followed by five players who sit at six-under-par. PGA Tour veteran Tony Finau is amongst those five as the 36-year-old made an impressive eagle at the par-5 14th, alongside five more birdies to post a 66.
Scotland Robert MacIntyre also holds a share of T2, as the 29-year-old posted a bogey-free six-under. MacIntyre shown great form closing out his back nine as the Scot made five birdies.
Tommy Fleetwood is a man in great form and he continued to show it with a bogey-free five-under-par first round to sit T7.
Will Zalatoris shown that he is looking for a season to remember as 29-year-old is hoping to bounce back from a gruesome back injury that saw him miss the majority of last season.
The American also sits in T7 on five-under-par.
Speaking on his return, Zalatoris said, “The reality is that I’m 10 months removed from basically having my back reconstructed… If I’m complaining about just a little thing here and there, I’ll still take it.”
The completion of round one is due to take place at 1:45 p.m. Irish time, with round two of the Valero Texas Open taking place shortly after.
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