Good start for Seamus Power in Dallas

Seamus Power produced another tidy display to open with a one-under-par 69 in the AT&T Byron Nelson at TPC Four Seasons Resort in Dallas.

The West Waterford star ended the day tied for 26th, five strokes behind James Hahn and Rickie Barnes.

Starting on the back nine, Power made a chip and putt birdie at the par-five 16th, then holed a 54 footer for birdie at the 17th to turn in 33.

He then made a double-bogey six at the third, where he found water from the tee. But recovered well with a bogey at the eighth cancelled out by birdies at the seventh and ninth.

Power is 143rd in the FedEx Cup rankings and needs 30 more points to finish in the top 125 to keep his card.

A share of seventh in Texas would be enough to secure his goal this week. 

Hahn hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation to shoot the only bogey-free round on Thursday, a six-under 64 in which he holed 120 feet of putts.

Barnes mixed eight birdies with two bogeys for his 64, two strokes better than his previous low of 66 which he has shot twice, most recently in last year’s third round.

Power was ranked 10th for strokes gained from tee to green and fourth for strokes gained around the green after a 26 putt round.

World No 1 Dustin Johnson is tied seventh after a three-under 67 with Jordan Spieth tied 14th after a 68.