Waterford’s Séamus Power showed his fighting spirit as the 39-year-old bounced back a mid-round setback to card a solid three-under-par first round at the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities.
After finishing T11 last week at the Corales Puntacana Championship, Power maintained that form early on Thursday as he found himself two-under-par after two holes thanks to pinpoint iron accuracy at the first and second.
Two more birdies were due for Power at the sixth and eighth before a bogey at the ninth saw him take the turn well in contention at three-under.
If it weren’t for slip ups at the 13th and 14th, Power could have well seen himself near the top spot after 18 holes. Power made bogey at the 13th, and a penalty stroke at the 14th resulted in him making double.
The two-time PGA TOUR winner will take great confidence into Friday’s second round thanks to an incredible hole-out eagle from 135 yards at the last to get him back to three-under. Power sits six strokes from the lead in T26.
Like Power, 18-hole leader Ben Kohles made eagle at the last but Kohles’ three secured a nine-under-par 62 as the 36-year-old holds a two stroke lead heading into Friday’s second round.
Kohles was flawless around TPC Twin City. In a nine-hole stretch beginning on No. 6, he birdied every other hole and added another birdie at the 15th to tie for the lead at seven-under. The eagle at the last secured Kohles lowest career round.
Three weeks ago, Kohles nearly got his first career win, but a double bogey on the final hole resulted in a third-place finish at the John Deere Classic.
“I was just in control all day,” he said. “I’ve played really well here the last few years, I feel like I’m comfortable out here. I made some nice putts and hit a lot close and I was able to capitalise on that,” added Kohles.
There is a three-way tie for T2 as Emiliano Grillo, Jackson Koivun, and Gary Woodland all posted 64 to sit two back from the lead at seven-under.
Grillo made birdie on five of his first seven holes and added three straight birdies starting at the 12th. However, he played the final three holes at one-over.
Koivun was bogey free in the first round. “Playing smart, playing for a score. Just executing when the time is right and getting aggressive when you can,” he said. “Just felt like I did a good job of taking advantage of that today.”
Scottie Scheffler made his 3M Open debut with a bogey free six-under-par 66 opening round as his putter seemed to have returned from it’s holidays during The Open last week.
The average winning score at the 3M Open is 19-under, and Scheffler sets his eyes on that target to secure his first win since January.
“Golf’s funny. Some days you’re hitting your lines and the line seems to be tracking toward the hole and other days it feels like you’re doing the same thing and it kind of goes around the hole,” Scheffler said, “but today was a day in which I was able to hole some nice putts and that’s why I was able to make some birdies out there.”
Scheffler’s presence is being felt by the field. Grillo, who sits one-stroke ahead of Scheffler said; “Any day beating Scottie Scheffler is a good day, so I’ll take that.”
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