Power ten back as Cantlay fires 62, Spieth 65 at Pebble Beach
Patrick Cantlay of the United States plays a shot during the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links on February 11, 2021 in Pebble Beach, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Seamus Power opened with a scrambling 72 as Jordan Spieth continued his return to form with an impressive seven-under 65 in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
West Waterford star Power (33) took on the tougher Spyglass Hill course and while he made three bogeys and two birdies in a one-over-par outward nine, he got back to level with a birdie at the 15th, scrambling successfully for par seven times out of nine.
The Tooreneena man was left to rue three-putts at the sixth and the par-five 14th (par) as he finished the day tied for 75th, ten strokes behind world number 11 Patrick Cantlay, who made ten birdies in a bogey-free, course record-equalling 62 at Pebble Beach to lead by two shots from sponsor’s invitee Akshay Bhatia (19) and the Swede Henrik Norlander (33).
“ I think we got Pebble in pretty much ideal conditions and I don't think it's going to be like that the rest of the week,’ Cantlay said. “The greens were good this morning and receptive, and so I hit a lot of good shots just right out of the gate and made everything. I didn't have very many long putts, but the mid-range putts that I did have I made all of them.”
There were also encouraging signs from three-time Major winner Spieth, who contended for last week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open before finishing tied fourth behind Brooks Koepka.
I seem to be improving gradually here. I might need to get this sign sorted out though. @PGATOUR @attproam pic.twitter.com/1vwhpPnWIs
— Padraig Harrington (@padraig_h) February 11, 2021
Seeking his first win since The Open in 2017, the Texan (27) made three birdies in a two-under-par front nine, then zipped his 113-yard approach back into the hole for an eagle two at the 10th to get to four-under.
The former Masters and US Open champion rolled in further birdies at the 14th and 15th and 18th to end his day tied for fourth with Nate Lashley.
He was pleased that he had to hole just 61 feet of putts to make five birdies and not triple digits.
”Yeah, maybe the best sign of good things to come of any stat,” Spieth said. “It's also hard to have a lot of feet of putts at Pebble. I mean you don't really have a lot of long putts, the greens are so small.
“But I hit a lot of greens in regulation, only really got into trouble on one hole, and other than that I would still like things to feel better than they do, but I know I'm able to kind of play a shot that, kind of a punch draw if I need to have it, and it's nice to kind of feel that you can always go to a shot if you get a little bit uncomfortable.
“And I think this is what you were talking about — about not guiding, being able to club down and just kind of play a couple 4-irons off tees on some holes to make sure I'm able to get into birdie range in two.”
Bhatia hit all 18 greens in regulation, becoming the first to do so in a round at Pebble Beach since 2008 and sixth since 1985.
Playing in just his 12th PGA Tour start, his bogey-free 64 was his career-low in 28 rounds on the PGA TOUR (26 as a professional), two strokes better than his previous best.
Beginning on No. 10 at Spyglass Hill, five-time AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am winner Phil Mickelson made two double bogeys in a 74 to share 118th in his 25th start at the event.
The most recent of Mickelson’s 44 PGA TOUR titles came at the 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
