SEAMUS POWER AND Shane Lowry both made bright starts as darkness halted play at the Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour.
While a handful of players were still on the Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead course in Palm Harbor, Florida, when play was suspended, the Irish duo had finished their opening rounds.
Power opened his weekend with a round of 70, which leaves him three shots off the lead on one-under overall. Lowry is a shot further back after his opening 71.
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Power started on the back nine, shooting a bogey on the 16th and birdie on the 17th. He also birdied on the first and fifth, before finishing with a bogey on the ninth.
The Waterford man is among 16 golfers tied for 23rd, with Xander Schauffele, Sepp Straka and Viktor Hovland for company.
Lowry, meanwhile, bookended his front nine with birdies on the first and ninth, while he had bogeys on holes five and 17.
The Offaly native is tied for 39th with 22 others, four off the lead on even par.
The lead is shared five ways, with American trio Keith Mitchell, Jacob Bridgeman and Ricky Castillo, Germany’s Stephan Jaeger, Sami Valimaki of Finland at the top of the leaderboard on four-under.
Another three players in the clubhouse are three-under following a tough, windy day in which the early starters had a distinct advantage.
Mitchell, who carded seven birdies and three bogeys in a four-under par 67, says he’s still learning from his agonising last-round collapse in the event last year.
Given the conditions, he said he couldn’t be too upset to close his round with back-to-back bogeys that dropped him from six-under into a share of the lead.
He three-putted his penultimate hole, the eighth, then found the right rough off the tee on the way to a bogey at the ninth.
“All in all I kept it together,” he said. “Number eight was playing really hard today, and nine the wind just off left I couldn’t get it started far enough left and made bogeys there.
“But you take those two out of the round and sprinkle them somewhere else. I’m feeling good.”
Mitchell started last year’s final round at Innisbrook with a two-shot lead but carded a 77 that left him tied for 17th as Peter Malnati snapped a nine-year title drought.
Asked how he moved on from that, Mitchell said he didn’t.
“I still think about it,” he said. “It’s still definitely in the back of my mind and I want it to stay there, hopefully for the rest of my career to just motivate me to remember what it feels like when you let those kind of nerves get in your way.
“A round like today feels like the opposite of that,” added Mitchell, who is trying to add a second tour title to his 2019 Honda Classic crown.
Jaeger, who claimed his first title at the Houston Open last year, closed with back-to-back birdies, getting up and down from a bunker to pick up a stroke at 18 and join the leading group.
He said he was actually aiming for the bunker after his wind-whipped tee shot found the right rough.
“To be honest with you that’s the only play I had,” he said. “I knew the bunker shot wasn’t terribly difficult, but obviously making that is a bonus. I would have taken par any day of the week.”
With reporting from Emma Duffy
I tend to agree with Trent , but only if there was no such thing as man city :(
@Declan g: stupid comment
@Chippy OMalley: ah good morning Anto , ah little late this morning a tad bit cranky I must say :)
@Declan g: seriously, read your last comment… it’s cringe… makes no sense whatsoever.
@Chippy OMalley: what’s your excuse for every comment you ever make?
@Chippy OMalley: tit
@K.C: yes please
1 trophy in 12 yesrs, a league cup …….
@Joe O’riordan: in all fairness joe you know your football. There’s no fooling you buddy
@Joe O’riordan: in fairness Trent was only 8 when that happened. He’s commenting on the future not the past. He may well be wrong. But he is confident and more power to him. He’s achieving stuff not sitting there angry on his couch woth his phone Joe.
@Joe O’riordan: terrible isn’t it. People should stop supporting teams that only win 1 trophy in 12 years
@Richard O’Brien: No sarcasm intended. Lol.
There’s always next year…..best Liverpool fan quote….
@running man: yep. Said that after the final last year and look…
@running man: that’s not even the quote Liverpool fans are slagged for.
@Seaniecp: “This is our year” is a bit like “Top of the morning to ya”. No actual Liverpool fans say it in the same way I have never heard an Irish citizen say that ghastly phrase.
Mayo4Sam(insert next year here) on the otherhand…
@Kevin Kane: oh I agree. I’m a Liverpool fan and I’ve never heard one use it. Just used against us. I was just pointing out to the lad if he is going to troll he should at least get it right.
And will no doubt be saying it again after this year.
You hope you’re right Trent. I’ll still stick to a 2-1 Liverpool win. Could care less about the performance in all honesty. Might even stick a cheeky fiver on TAA for the first our second
@themansam: van dijk, salah, mane, 3-1 Liverpool. I reckon son will score but Harry will claim it.
@themansam: Would he not have waited and said this if Liverpool won tomorrow night,a naive thing to say when Liverpool haven’t won a trophy under Klopp but he’s saying they’ll go onto dominate winning trophies,spurs to win 2-1
@John Connolly: he’s 20 John playing for the club he’s supported. Doing an interview and was asked “what if”
@Hardly Normal: Harry’s a dose
@themansam: Haha ya, of the highest order. Hope he starts and gets a clatter early on. I’d set someone on deli Ali too, wind him right up.
@Hardly Normal: yeah exactly. Fabinho to welcome him to the game would be the tonic
@Hardly Normal: wonder would spurs fans start a petition like the scousers last year?
@Brian Dunne: united fans will get one started soon enough to get OGS out
@Brian Dunne: Brian, its not really fans that create these pointless petitions (unless you’re John Delaney) it’s the Internet and people that have way too much time on their hands. I’ve never seen any of these so called petitions and I’d have added a fair few Liverpool and soccer fan pages down through the years on Facebook.
My verdict here,
False news kid.
@themansam: ole aint the problem at utd
@John Connolly: nothing wrong with a bit of confidence from a 20 year old John. If he said what your suggesting after if they win. You would ridicule him for being cocky and ahead of himself and 1 trophy in 11 years bla bla. Release your hate man. It’s eating you
@Brian Dunne: he sure ain’t the solution anyway
@themansam: why bring united into it? It had nothing to do with his comment…..you’re not another pool fan infatuated with United and their misgivings are u? Pool v spurs in a final, enjoy the occasion and try to put united out of your head for a weekend at least
@Anthony: tough when it’s united fans on the thread bringing the tone down pal
@themansam: i was bringing the tone down? You and another pool fan were saying pool players should go out and injure spurs best players!
@Brian Dunne: just go ahead and point out where anyone said anything about injuring anyone. What was said, in a contact sport, they should be welcomed into the game. Kind of Roy Keane V Overmars sorta way
@themansam: yeah yeah. Typical pool fans. Whiter than white.
@Brian Dunne: that’s the spirit Brian
@Seaniecp: There’s a big difference being a small bit confident and then saying they will dominant winning trophies if they win tomorrow,here’s hoping for a spurs win
@John Connolly: all messing aside John. What’s the craic buddy, you be awfully salty toward Liverpool. What’s up with that, is there anything for doing to chill you out?
@Hardly Normal: he heard about Citizen Kane and thought he was entitled to a league medal
@themansam: next year is man city’s champions league year
@John Connolly: indeed. But the author used ‘dominant’ as hyperbole. His quote isn’t that bad just say that if they get a trophy he thinks the team is good enough to kick on and be unstoppable. I hope any player on a team I support goes into any match feeling they are unstoppable. You need to chill put over Liverpool man. You will have a stroke. I can garentee your the type of lad that will enjoy Liverpool losing a CL final than your beloved United winning one. I find that really pathetic. I don’t care much what happens past the team I support. Hence why I rarely if ever comment on other teams news story’s. You will be happier and less bitter that way man.
@themansam: ur on overdrive after yesterday’s humiliation, the definition of triggered… u should have taken a day off to recuperate and regenerate for the big game tmw…. I hope for your sake it doesn’t end up with you in tears… #moretolife
@Brian Dunne: where are the white suits of ’96?
@Cryptoalcho: the only one humiliated is you son. “I’m a Chelsea fan, I’m supporting City oh wait no lads I’m really a united fan”
Who does that? Why deny what club you support, why say one team then support another, then you say you’re a fan of bitter that teams city rivals?
The words “plastic fan” would thrown around here this past season & you’re 100% the chairman/charperson of that club fella.
@themansam: ya if spurs win tomorrow I’ll be happy out
@Seaniecp: Let it all out,it’s ok,you seem to get more enjoyment out of me slagging Liverpool than you commenting about them,Spurs 3-1
@John Connolly: bless. Sure look I’ll light a candle for you just the same
@John Connolly: oh god lad. Your painful. I don’t think you have ever made any comment of substance on this.
@themansam: Surely you ate not advocating cynical play a la Sergio Ramos?
@themansam: I’ve seen you copy and paste URLs before. Please find me saying, I was a supporter of any club except for United…. that rant is not healthy mate. My favourite quote from yesterday “Read my first comment darling”….. that embarrassment must hurt. I apologies
@Cryptoalcho: keep her lit buddy boy x
@Seaniecp: You’re……….
@themansam: that’s what I thought, as usual no substances…… “thanks, that validates my point”
@themansam: yup as I thought, no substances behind it all… “thanks, that makes my point”
@John Connolly: exactly……
@Anthony: they wouldn’t let it lie
@Cryptoalcho: yeah you keep on thinking but take breaks on a regular basis
Morning Anto…
@seancreaven13: u just got in there before me Sean :)
@seancreaven13: Brown trousers time lads, has anyone given a thought to losing???? Is this an option??? Hahahahahahaha imagine….. what would the excuse be??? I don’t think Its n option really…. it can’t be…can it???
@Chippy OMalley: speaking of excuses. How come City aren’t playing in the final? Despite all their domestic dominance, when will City get to a final Anto, Chippy whichever profile suits can answer
@themansam: There is a comment above which sums up your club perfectly pal, you have won zero in over a decade. Nothing, zip, nada…Conversation over….lol
@Chippy OMalley: conversation is over because you haven’t enough about you to answer why City have never been in a European Cup/Champions League Final?
@Declan g: just about!! :-)
@Chippy OMalley: souness has already said spurs don’t belong there…if that’s the case pool don’t deserve their last European trophy….
@themansam: getting to finals is irrelevant…winning them is all that matters
@Anthony: I don’t mean to be obvious here Anthony but you have to get to a final to win it
@Anthony: sure why don’t we go and tell say Southampton fans. Or Burnley fans maybe that sure look if your not winning trophies football means nothing. Don’t turn up next week. Your comment is the definition of a glory hunting fan. Enjoy the sport you absolute goon.
@Chippy OMalley: just IMAGINE losing to Spurs.
I’m sure and the trolls will be quiet on this one since there’s school today
@Willy Motley: Ahh there’s Billy commenting at all the people he muted…. “if I cover my eyes they’ll go away”….. lol
@Willy Motley: well you’re clearly off ….
@Willy Motley: primary school
TAA is as deluded as most Pool fans.
Oh trent, Trent, Trent….let’s just out this comment down to youthful naivety. Win a few trophies first before saying stupid comments like that. City haven’t even dropped comments lien that despite their success. Liverpool have won absolutely nothing since instanbul……
@Anthony: its not just the fans who are cocky shites. Dont have much interest in football but listening to Liverpool fans and now their players I hope they are beaten. The arrogance is just amazing.
@Paul O Mahony: where’s the arrogance in a 20 year playing in a Champions League Final for the team he grew up supporting, talking about his ambitions during an interview. He didn’t post those comments on his personal social media accounts
@Anthony: your statement is factually incorrect there sham, at least try get it right before you take the piss otherwise your just look like a right clown.
@themansam: he wasn’t talking about his ambitions. He said once they win they will dominate. It’s arrogance but more so naivety. Liverpool have achieved nothing in over a decade unless second in the league is now suddenly an achievement
@Anthony: read the comment above yours there
@themansam: if I have to explain it to you its pointless. Im guessing you are a Liverpool fan.
@Paul O Mahony: enlighten me so
@themansam: seriously?
@Paul O Mahony: sure
@Paul O Mahony: its definitely not the trophies over the last 10 years or so. One league cup was it?
Eighth time lucky for Klopp?? I hope not.
God please help Spurs, 1 trophy in 12 years, none for Klopp and if they finally win 1 they’ll be unstoppable!!!!!! Suppose City will just let them??
@Dougal67: Chelsea won’t stop them anyway Dougie
@themansam: Not at the moment bud, with hazard gone and transfer ban in top 4 will be a stretch, trophy and top 3 was superb with our defense?
@Dougal67: you probably let JT go to early
@themansam: Not a joke prob would still b our best def, the fact we got 50m for Luis was unreal the fact we bought him back was a joke.
@themansam: Not a joke prob would still b our best def, the fact we got 50m for Luiz was unreal the fact we bought him back was a joke.
@Dougal67: sure you can cheer on Virgil tomorrow so, just the one night mind
Draw,pens.
One can’t but help thinking that Brazilian goalies usually have a rick or 2 in big matches. Dida had a few. Then the ghost of Karius LURKS.
@Bryn Capstan: he isn’t Brazilian though fella. Try harder you posted that yesterday too
@Bryn Capstan: yeah you said this yesterday. And Dida didn’t have a particular bad game in 05. Two good goals and he saved the penalty from alonso to be beaten by the rebound.
This is exactly the type you don’t need before a UCL final.
TAA just provided a perfect example of why most neutrals want a Spurs win tomorrow night. Over confident , loud and arrogant.
@Eamonn Ó Maoldomhnaigh: oh you bitter old fart, stick to the hurlers…they’re back to their bottling ways
@Eamonn Ó Maoldomhnaigh: oh you bitter old fart, stick to the hurlers…they’re back to their bottling ways
@Eamonn Ó Maoldomhnaigh: oh you bitter old guy, stick to the hurlers…they’re back to their bottling ways
@Eamonn Ó Maoldomhnaigh: oh you bitter old guy, stick to the hurlers…they’re back to their bottling ways
@Eamonn Ó Maoldomhnaigh: I bet you’re disgusted lol
Nonsense as per usual. Heard this before from da pewel. Maybe another league cup in the next decade lurks too! At least Spurs are honest.