PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON WAS left to rue two late bogeys during the opening round of the Travelers Championship last night, but there were plenty of encouraging signs for the three-time Major winner.
The 44-year-old carded a level par round of 70 to finish six shots behind joint-leaders Vaughn Taylor, Andrew Loupe and Jerry Kelly at Cromwell.
Harrington, who performed strongly at the US PGA Championship and appears to be at ease with his game again, picked up a shot on the third before recording 12 successive pars.
With an under-par round on the cards, the Dubliner then dropped shots on 16 and 17 but repaired some of the damage by rallying to birdie his final hole.
Shane Lowry, meanwhile, made a welcome return to form on Thursday with a one-under par round of 69 to put himself in contention.
The Offaly man started poorly with a bogey on the first but recovered to pick up shots on eight and 14 to sit five strokes off the lead.
American Kelly, who is four months away from qualifying for the senior golf tour, is making a run at his first PGA Tour win in seven years.
The 49-year-old from Madison, Wisconsin, was turning heads Thursday by shooting a six-under 64 to share the first-round lead with fellow Americans Loupe and Taylor.
Ben Martin, Australia’s Marc Leishman and Spain’s Jon Rahm are tied for fourth at 65 at the River Highlands course in Cromwell, Connecticut while Daniel Berger and Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz share seventh place at 66.
Fifteen players, including defending champion Bubba Watson and Fiji’s Vijay Singh, are tied for ninth at 67.
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