Graeme McDowell makes shaky start to title defence as Séamus Power impresses

Graeme McDowell’s defence of his OHL Classic title got off to a bad start in Mexico on Thursday as he slipped off the early pace with a four-over-par opening round of 75 at Playa del Carmen.

The 37-year-old from Portrush, who claimed his third PGA Tour title at the event last year, came into the event on the back of a missed cut in Las Vegas last week in his opening event of the wraparound season.

McDowell, who started from the 10th hole, made a bogey six on the par-five 13th after taking a drop and followed it up with bogey on the 14th. A further loss would come on the 18th as he turned in three-over 38.

A dropped shot on the second pushed McDowell out to four over. A birdie two on the par-three fourth hole would prove the only gain for the day, but he handed it back on the ninth as he signed for a 75.

Waterford’s Séamus Power kept up his promising start to life on the PGA Tour with a three-under 68 that left him four shots off the early clubhouse lead.

The 29-year-old, who has made the cut in his last two tournaments, carded two birdies on each nine, with a single dropped shot coming on the par-five fifth hole when he was forced to take a drop.

Colombia’s Camilo Villegas carded five birdies and an eagle to take the clubhouse lead with a seven-under 64.

Webb Simpson and fellow American Aaron Wise are a shot further back after both carded six-under 65s.

Simpson carded four birdies in five holes on the front nine in an error-free round.

Wise, a 20-year-old who was born in South Africa, went about things in a more spectacular manner, making a hole-in-one at the short fourth and following it with another eagle at the par-five fifth to pick up four shots in two holes.