Power continues sensational form with 65 in California; G-Mac shines with 66
Séamus Power
Séamus Power continued his red-hot streak when he opened with a seven-under 65 to lie just three shots off the lead in The American Express in California.
As Graeme McDowell's decision to play at La Quinta Country Club for the first time since 2003 paid off with a six-under 66, newly-minted world No. 49 Power made seven birdies on the Nicklaus Tournament Course as he chases a second PGA Tour win that would catapult him comfortably into the world's top 30.
The West Waterford man's 13th successive sub-par round left him in an eight-man posse tied for fifth place behind FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay and Lee Hodges, who shot a 10-under 62s at La Quinta to lead by two strokes from Cameron Young and KH Lee.
"Overall very pleased," said Power (34), who birdied the second, fourth and seventh to turn in 33 before knocking in further birdies at the 10th, 11th, 14th and 17th.
"Any time you're bogey-free it's always going to be a very positive thing. I played very, very nicely, especially on the front, gave myself plenty of chances.
"Had a couple kind of burned the edge but overall felt very much in control, so very pleased."
After his third 65 in a row, Power is an incredible 96-under par for 29 rounds played in the 2021-22 season and averaging 66.44 for the nine rounds he's played this year following a tie for 15th in the Sentry Tournament of Champions and joint third place in last week's Sony Open in Hawaii.
He's playing with such confidence he hit the tiny green at the fourth with a three-wood, singling it out as his shot of the day.
"I gave myself maybe a 20, 25-footer for eagle, but it's a small green and to hit it actually on the surface was, I was very happy with that one," added the West Waterford man, who missed just one green in the opening round of an event where he's had two top 25 finishes in three appearances.
"I've always liked it here," he said. "I like the greens, I seem to read them pretty well, that's such a big thing and I feel comfortable doing that.
"And it's just, I mean, this time of year in Palm Springs it's so pretty here, I mean it's perfect conditions and you just kind of feel like you're going to make some good swings and hopefully I can kind of keep it up over the weekend."
McDowell was also glad he made the trip for the first time since 2003 after contemplating playing next week's Farmers Insurance Open before heading to Jeddah for the Saudi International.
After missing his last four cuts, the 2010 US Open champion (42) carded seven birdies and a bogey at the 18th at La Quinta Country Club to sit in an 11-man group tied for 13th on six-under that included world No. 1, Jon Rahm.
"I think my caddy and I are both looking at each other, wondering why it's taken us so long to get here," McDowell said after a 24-putt round. "It was nice to obviously make a few putts today, post a number and get myself off to a good start this week."
While he won the Saudi International in 2020, McDowell has missed almost 60 per cent of his cuts since then and gone back to the drawing board more than once.
His PGA TOUR exemption runs out at the end of this season and at 140th in the FedEx Cup, he must make the top 125.
"There's definitely been a lot of soul searching the last six months," he said. "I think I've become a bit more settled physically about what I'm trying to do with the golf ball and it's really just been trying to get the head kind of screwed on the right way this season.
"I feel like I've kind of got things kind of where I want it, trying to take a very nice consistent approach to the season, try and do the right things as much as I possibly can, not too much pressure being put on myself on a day-to-day basis and that's really how I'm trying to go about this season.
"I played quite well in Hawaii last week, disappointed to miss by one in the end and came in here feeling like I know what I'm doing with the golf ball. So, first time seeing La Quinta, I was pretty happy with that effort and back at it tomorrow."
As for his decision to return to Palm Springs, McDowell explained he was "50/50 between here and Torrey Pines".
He added: "And guys were telling me I would like this place better from a setup point of view more so than Torrey Pines, with it being such a long, tough golf course. So Saudi is my next event and I just figured San Diego to Saudi was going to be quite a trip as well. And figured, on the way home from Hawaii, I guess missing the cut in Hawaii gave me some extra prep time for this event as well.
"I was worried about not having seen the three courses and having to come and prepare well for this week, so when I missed the cut there last week it helped, it helped to get my prep ready for this week.”