Afternoon tee-off derails Lowry and Power

Power and Lowry struggled to get any momentum going Thursday afternoon.

Shane Lowry of Ireland hits a tee shot. Pic: Mike Ehrmann, Getty Images

Séamus Power and Shane Lowry were dealt a difficult hand before they ever teed off in the 50th Players Championship.

While the weather is perfect and the conditions benign and conducive to scoring on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, there has long been a baked-in disadvantage to being assigned to the afternoon wave in Thursday’s opening round.

Every winner going back to Rickie Fowler in 2015 has been in the early-late half of the draw. 

Some years the advantage is more pronounced than others because of weather, but whether coincidence or not the trend has held for nearly a decade with Jason Day, Si Woo Kim, Webb Simpson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Cameron Smith and Scottie Scheffler all getting the early jump on Thursday.

McIlroy and Xander Schauffele shared the morning lead with 7-under 65s, with Canadian Nick Taylor a shot behind. Ludwig Åberg, Jason Day and Tom Hoge got in the clubhouse tied fourth on 5-under 67.

Several afternoon starters on Thursday made solid strides toward ending the streak – including defending champion Scheffler who kept creeping up the leaderboard after an opening bogey. Matt Fitzpatrick, Max Homa, Wyndham Clark and Scheffler each pushed their way into the top 10 as the day grew long, setting themselves up for the opportunity to go low on Friday morning to take command.

Power and Lowry, however, struggled to get any momentum going Thursday afternoon.

Power was even through 17 holes, never getting himself in too much trouble on a day with three birdies and three bogeys.

Lowry was 1-over through 13 holes, missing par saving putts of 8, 8 and 5 feet on Nos. 4, 7 and 9.