McDowell eight behind Niemann in Kapalua
Joaquin Niemann
Graeme McDowell staged a back nine comeback but had to settle for a one-over 74 on his third appearance at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
The Portrush native (40) made just 53-feet of putts on the Plantation Course at Kapalua and ended the opening round tied for 26th in the 34-man field, eight strokes behind Chile’s Joaquin Niemann.
Niemann (21) made seven birdies in a seven-under par 66 to lead by a shot from Justin Thomas and by two strokes from Matt Kuchar and Rickie Fowler. Scores
McDowell, who will host the first of back-to-back Dubai Duty Free Irish Opens at Mount Juliet this year, started brightly by holing an 18 footer for a birdie two at the second.
But he then bogeyed the third, fourth, eighth and ninth to turn in 39 before recovering with three birdies and just one dropped shot on the back nine.
“Could've used a few more putts like this today but loving my time back at @Sentry_TOC,” McDowell tweeted, posting a video of the 44 footer he made from off the green for a birdie three at the 17th.
Could've used a few more putts like this today but loving my time back at @Sentry_TOC pic.twitter.com/BMvvimOj3c
— Graeme McDowell (@Graeme_McDowell) January 3, 2020
McDowell, who also birdied the 10th and 15th but took three to get down from greenside rough at the 13th, is making his first appearance in the season-opening event since 2016.
He was third on his debut in 2011, closing with a 62 to finish just one stroke behind Jonathan Byrd on 23-under par.
Niemann was pleased with his opening round and he’s looking to make greater strides in his career in 2020 after making his Presidents Cup debut as a captain’s pick for Ernie Els at Royal Melbourne last month.
“Yeah, the Presidents Cup was one of my best experiences since I turned pro,” Niemann said. “It was an unbelievable week. I shared a lot of moments with the best players in the world.
“I got Ernie as a captain. That is just awesome. And yeah, I think that week was really special for me. He told me that it's going to be really helpful for my career, for my future. I'm going to feel some type of different pressure in that week, and I felt that one. So it was a good learning experience, so yeah, I just can't wait to go back in two more years and try to beat them.”
2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions
(12th of 49 events in the PGA TOUR Season)
Kapalua, Maui, HI January 2-5, 2020
Purse: $6,700,000 ($1,340,000)
The Plantation Course Par/Yards: 36-37—73/7,596
FedExCup Points: 500 (winner)
First-Round Notes – Thursday, January 2, 2020
Weather: Partly cloudy, with a high of 80.
Wind N/NE 16-22 mph.
Leaderboard
Joaquin Niemann 66 (-7)
Justin Thomas 67 (-6)
Matt Kuchar 68 (-5), Rickie Fowler 68 (-5)
Things to Know
In his first start at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, Joaquin Niemann collected seven birdies en route to his second 18-hole lead on the PGA TOUR
In his eighth start, Matt Kuchar opened with a bogey-free 5-under 68, marking his 95th career bogey-free round on the PGA TOUR
Rickie Fowler made 16 of 16 putts from inside 10 feet, marking the first time in 12 career rounds at The Plantation Course at Kapalua were Fowler made every putt from inside 10 feet
Defending champion Xander Schauffele opened 4-under 69 as he tries to become the first player since 2009-10 to go back-to-back at the event
First-Round Lead Notes
11 First-round leaders/co-leaders at the Sentry Tournament of Champions to win
Most recent: Dustin Johnson/2013 (54-hole event)
1 First-round leader/co-leader to win this season: Tiger Woods/ZOZO Championship
Joaquin Niemann (66/-7) Age: 21 (11/7/1998)
Joined TOUR: 2018
49 PGA TOUR starts
1 PGA TOUR win 9 Top-10s on PGA TOUR
6 PGA TOUR starts in 2019-20
Hit 11/15 fairways, 17/18 greens and required 29 putts en route to a bogey-free 7-under 66 including seven birdies
Shared the lead after the first round at the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide in 2018 (finished T6)
The last time he led/co-led after any round on the PGA TOUR was at the 2019 A Military at The Greenbrier; he shared the second-round lead and led by two strokes after round three en route to a six-shot victory
Qualified for the field with win at the 2019 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier Making first start at the event
Miscellaneous Notes
Defending champion Xander Schauffele (T5) opened with a 4-under 69 in his third consecutive start at the Sentry Tournament of Champions; opened with 1-under 72 in two prior starts
2017 Sentry Tournament of Champions winner Justin Thomas (2) notched six birdies en route to a 6-under 67; qualified for the event with his victory at the 2019 BMW Championship
Matt Kuchar (T3) opened with a bogey-free 5-under 68, marking his 95th career bogey-free round on the PGA TOUR
Rickie Fowler (T3) made 16 of 16 putts from inside 10 feet, marking the first time in 12 career rounds at The Plantation Course at Kapalua were Fowler made every putt from inside 10 feet
Two-time winner of the event (2013, 2018), Dustin Johnson (T16), made 166’ 1” of putts en route to his 1-under 72, marking his second most feet of putts made in a round on the PGA TOUR
Patrick Reed (T16), the 2015 Sentry Tournament of Champions winner, opened with a 1-under 72; qualified for the event with win at THE 2019 NORTHERN TRUST
Niemann and Fowler were the only two players to make every putt from inside 10 feet in round one (both went 16 of 16)
Bogey-free rounds: R1: Matt Kuchar (68), Joaquin Niemann (66), Justin Thomas (67), Xander Schauffele (69)
First-round Scoring Averages
Front 9 Back 9 Total Cumulative
R1: 35.735 35.971 71.706
