Si Woo Kim claimed a narrow lead after the first round of the Valero Texas Open as former champion Jordan Spieth found some welcome form ahead of next week’s Masters.
Kim carded eight birdies and two bogeys in an opening 66 at TPC San Antonio to finish a shot ahead of Mexico Abraham Ancer, Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas and the American pair of Brian Stuard and JT Poston.
Graeme McDowell, who arrived in Texas on the back of a first win since 2015 in the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship, lies three shots off the lead after an opening 69 matched by Ireland’s Séamus Power.
Both players need a win if they are to make it into the field for next week’s first Major of the year at Augusta National but for Power the bogey-free round of three under to sit in a tie for 17th is a welcome good note in what has been a difficult year.
The Waterford man has made just four cuts in 14 events this year with a best finish of 19th at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Pádraig Harrington, who is competing for just the second time after returning from a broken wrist, made three birdies and three bogeys on his way to an opening round of level par 72.
Meanwhile, Spieth, who is without a top-10 finish since last year’s Open Championship, was part of a large group a shot further back after five birdies and a solitary bogey in his 68.
The former world number one, who has slipped to 32nd in the rankings, told Sky Sports: “We had ideal scoring conditions so I was trying to get four, five or six (under) out there and it was really nice to make five birdies.
“I didn’t hit as many fairways as I’d like and that’s where I’m looking to improve, but the game feels good, feels more consistent than it’s been in quite a while.”
Spieth’s course form at Augusta National reads an incredible 2-1-2-11-3 and he admits returning to the scene of his first major title could provide a timely boost.
“It’s not like there’s a spark and all of a sudden you just win every event, this is progress this is part of a career,” Spieth added. “I’m going in the right direction and I think Augusta will enhance that.
“All this feel that I’m trying to put back into the game, less thinking, more feel, Augusta requires that. I certainly think a past history helps but just having the confidence that I know how to play that golf course can go a long way.”
Collated first round scores in the USPGA Tour Valero Texas Open, TPC San Antonio, United States of America (USA unless stated, Irish in bold, par 72):
66 Si Woo Kim (Kor)
67 Brian Stuard, JT Poston, Abraham Ancer (Mex), Jhonattan Vegas (Ven)
68 Chris Stroud, Scott Stallings, Roberto Diaz (Mex), Danny Lee (Nzl), Max Homa, Hank Lebioda, Ted Potter, Jr., Morgan Hoffmann, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Ryan Moore
69 Matt Jones (Aus), Byeong-Hun An (Kor), Séamus Power (Irl), Wyndham Clark, Nick Taylor (Can), Corey Conners (Can), Rory Sabbatini (Svk), Shawn Stefani, Graeme McDowell (NIrl), Beau Hossler, Matt Kuchar, Kyoung-hoon Lee (Kor), J.B. Holmes, Ryan Armour, Cameron Tringale, Josh Teater
70 Adam Schenk, Jason Kokrak, Harold Varner III, Vaughn Taylor, Julian Etulain (Arg), Jim Knous, Stephan Jaeger (Ger), Ollie Schniederjans, Jimmy Walker, Kyle Stanley, Sung Kang (Kor), Brendan Steele, Hunter Mahan, Joel Dahmen, Haotong Li (Chn), Jim Furyk, Ryan Blaum, Mackenzie Hughes (Can), Jim Herman
71 Carlos Ortiz (Mex), Charley Hoffman, Scott Brown, Brian Gay, Andrew Landry, Daniel Berger, Russell Henley, Ernie Els (Rsa), Peter Malnati, Luke List, Zack Fischer, Smylie Kaufman, Jose de Jesus Rodriguez (Mex), Aaron Baddeley (Aus), Kristoffer Ventura (Nor), Trey Mullinax, Scottie Scheffler (a), Rod Pampling (Aus), Adam Long, Seth Reeves, Dylan Frittelli (Rsa), Brandon Harkins
72 Bud Cauley, Kramer Hickok, Andrew Putnam, Roger Sloan (Can), Joost Luiten (Ned), Brandon Hagy, Martin Kaymer (Ger), Robert Streb, Richy Werenski, Tony Finau, Scott Langley, Roberto Castro, Davis Love III, Lucas Glover, Sam Saunders, Jonas Blixt (Swe), Harris English, Kevin Streelman, Denny McCarthy, George McNeill, Joaquin Niemann (Chi), Sam Burns, Cheng-Tsung Pan (Tai), Tyler Duncan, Pádraig Harrington (Irl)
73 Justin Harding (Rsa), Sepp Straka (Aut), Hudson Swafford, Anders Albertson, Kelly Kraft, Alex Prugh, Peter Uihlein, Roland Thatcher, Curtis Luck (Aus), Kevin Tway, Kyung Ju Choi (Kor), Billy Horschel, Martin Trainer, Sebastian Munoz (Col), Sam Ryder, Adam Svensson (Can), Chase Wright, Fabian Gomez (Arg), Tom Hoge, Rufus Brijalba, Sungjae Im (Kor)
74 Chris Kirk, John Senden (Aus), Austin Cook, Brian Harman, Cameron Davis (Aus), Kenny Perry, J.J. Henry, Martin Laird (Sco), Luke Donald (Eng), Chip McDaniel, D.J. Trahan
75 Nick Watney, Lucas Bjerregaard (Den), Ryan Palmer, Cody Gribble, Brady Schnell, Chesson Hadley, J.J. Spaun
76 Freddie Jacobson (Swe), Paul Barjon (Fra), Kyle Jones
77 Benjamin Silverman (Can), Jonathan Byrd
78 D.A. Points
