Golf

Hot starts for Séamus Power and Graeme McDowell keep them in touch in California

Power fires opening 65 with McDowell one shot further back at top end of the standings

Séamus Power sits three shots off the lead after a fast start in Cailfornia. Photograph: Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images

Fri Jan 21 2022 - 06:38

Séamus Power continued his run of good form with a near perfect start to The American Express in California, firing a bogey-free 65 to sit three shots behind the leaders after the first round.

After last week breaking into the world top 50, Power backed up his recent performnaces by carding seven birdies on his way to a round of seven under.

Graeme McDowell is one shot further back after a good round of his own. The Northern Irishman got off to a hot start with four birdies in his first six holes before picking up three further shots in his round after a rare bogey on the ninth.

Americans Lee Hodges and Patrick Cantlay topped the leaderboard after they both signed for a 10-under 62, followed two shots back by compatriot Cameron Young and South Korean KH Lee.

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First round scores in the USPGA Tour The American Express, PGA West (Stadium), La Quinta, California

(USA unless stated, Par 72):

62 Patrick Cantlay, Lee Hodges

64 Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Kor), Cameron Young

65 Joseph Bramlett, Wyndham Clark, Tom Hoge, Danny Lee (Nzl), Séamus Power (Irl), Sam Ryder, Greyson Sigg, Brandt Snedeker

66 Paul Barjon (Fra), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa), Bronson Burgoon, Lucas Glover, Harry Higgs, Graeme McDowell (NIrl), Taylor Moore, Jon Rahm (Spa), Davis Riley, Roger Sloan (Can), Martin Trainer

67 Abraham Ancer (Mex), Kevin Chappell, Jason Day (Aus), Brett Drewitt (Aus), Doug Ghim, Lanto Griffin, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Zach Johnson, Patton Kizzire, David Lipsky, Denny McCarthy, Francesco Molinari (Ita), Aaron Rai (Eng), Alex Smalley, Sepp Straka (Aut)

68 Wesley Bryan, Brice Garnett, Michael Gligic (Can), Adam Hadwin (Can), Nick Hardy, Si Woo Kim (Kor), Hank Lebioda, Adam Long, Seung-Yul Noh (Kor), Chengtsung Pan (Tai), Justin Rose (Eng), Harold Varner III

69 Jonathan Byrd, Tyler Duncan, Charles Howell III, Sung Jae Im (Kor), Anirban Lahiri (Ind), Matthew NeSmith, Henrik Norlander (Swe), Andrew Novak, Pat Perez, J. T. Poston, Scottie Scheffler, Brendan Steele, Chris Stroud, Brian Stuard, Adam Svensson (Can), Nick Taylor (Can), Curtis Thompson, Camilo Villegas (Col), Dylan Wu, Stephen Stallings Jr., Callum Tarren (Eng)

70 Hayden Buckley, Luke Donald (Eng), Jason Dufner, Chesson Hadley, Brandon Hagy, James Hahn, Chan Kim, Russell Knox (Sco), Ben Kohles, Luke List, Ryan Moore, Trey Mullinax, Alexander Noren (Swe), John Pak, Scott Piercy, Andrew Putnam, Patrick Rodgers, Robert Streb, Hudson Swafford, Kevin Tway, Vincent Whaley, Brandon Wu, Jared Wolfe

71 Emiliano Grillo (Arg), Scott Gutschewski, Sung-Hoon Kang (Kor), Chris Kirk, Kelly Kraft, Peter Malnati, Taylor Pendrith (Can), Doc Redman, Patrick Reed, David Skinns (Eng), Brendon Todd, Peter Uihlein, Mark Wilson, Will Zalatoris

72 Tony Finau, Kramer Hickok, John Huh, Chez Reavie, Adam Schenk, Sahith Theegala, Jhonattan Vegas (Ven), Nick Watney, Gary Woodland

73 Cameron Champ, Rickie Fowler, Dylan Frittelli (Rsa), Bill Haas, Andrew Landry, Kyle Mendoza, Troy Merritt, Rory Sabbatini (Svk), Kevin Streelman, Jimmy Walker

74 Jonas Blixt (Swe), Brian Gay, Jim Herman, Kurt Kitayama, Justin Lower, Max McGreevy, Carlos Ortiz (Mex), Chad Ramey, Seth Reeves, Scott Stallings, Cameron Tringale, T. J. Vogel, Richy Werenski, Joshua Creel

75 Corey Conners (Can), Talor Gooch, Davis Love III, Tyler McCumber, Sebastian Munoz (Col), J. J. Spaun, Dawie van der Walt (Rsa)

76 James du Preez (Rsa), Austin Smotherman

77 Nate Lashley, Michael Thompson

78 Austin Cook, Phil Mickelson, Matthew Wolff

ends

210134 JAN 22