McDowell continues positive start to the season in Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Graeme McDowell tees off on the fourth hole during the second round at the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif. on Friday, June 14, 2019. (Copyright USGA/JD Cuban)
Graeme McDowell continued his positive start to the season by opening with a two-under 70 in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Back in the world’s top 50 thanks to his win in the Saudi International, the 2010 US Open champion (40) was one-over with eight holes to go at Spyglass Hill but picked up three shots coming down the stretch.
He ended the day tied for 44th behind Canada’s Nick Taylor, who shot an eight-under 63 at Monterey Peninsula Country Club to lead by two shots from world No 8 Patrick Cantlay, who fired a six-under 66 at Spyglass Hill, and Korn Ferry Tour graduate Chase Seiffert, who played Pebble Beach.
Pádraig Harrington opened with one-under 71 at Monterey Peninsula as he bids to win back his PGA Tour card.
A wrist injury kept the European Ryder Cup skipper out until April last year but with a medical exemption, he has 11 events to earn enough FedEx Cup points to match last year’s top-125 total.
Seamus Power also made a decent start in his first PGA Tour start for two months, carding a level par 72 at Pebble Beach.
The West Waterford man (32) got off to an untidy start with three bogeys and a birdie in his first five holes before chipping away the winter rust.
After making a birdie two from three feet at the iconic seventh, he rammed home a 45 footer at the 13th but failed to make up for a bogey-six at the 14th when he missed from six feet for a birdie at the last.
In the Pro-Am, Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Dermot Desmond (9) are tied 21st on seven-under while Seamus Power and his partner Mike Weeks (18), and Pádraig Harrington and Gerry McManus (13) are 48th on five-under, two shots outside the top 25 teams who progress.
McDowell and Edward Brown (1) are joint 97th on three-under.
Things to Know
Nick Taylor begins his round with an eagle en route to an 8-under 63 and second 18-hole lead on the PGA TOUR
Patrick Cantlay ties career-high with nine birdies, good for a 66, in bid for third career PGA TOUR title
PGA TOUR rookie Chase Seiffert ties career-low round in relation to par with 6-under 66 at Pebble Beach • Phil Mickelson birdies last three holes to open with 4-under 68 at Spyglass Hill in title defence
Jason Day opens with 4-under 67; seeks fourth straight top-five finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
2018 team champions Kevin Streelman and Larry Fitzgerald lead the team portion of the competition First-Round Lead Notes 5 First-round leaders/co-leaders of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am since 2000 to convert for the win (most recent: D.A. Points/2011)
1 First-round leader/co-leader to win on TOUR in 2019-20 (Tiger Woods/ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP)
