Kilkenny man Mark Power went around in 72 in the first round of the Horizon Irish Open at Mount Juliet today to finish on even par.
Following a birdie, bogey and five pars in his first seven holes, Power began to move up the leaderboard after he birdied the 17th and 18th to begin his back nine on two-under-par.
All that good work came undone on the turn however, as the former Walker Cup player posted three consecutive bogeys on the second, third and fourth hole to move to one-over.
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He did manage to salvage a birdie from his final hole to make sure he goes into Friday with a realistic chance of making the cut for the weekend.
Fellow Irishman Seamus Power is in contention having finished four-under-par this morning.
The Waterford native hit six birdies and two bogeys in a solid round that leaves him four shots off the lead.
Meanwhile, Shane Lowry will feel as though he left shots out on the course following a one-under-par round.
The Offaly man is going in search of his second Irish Open title but will have to perform much better tomorrow with three birdies not enough for the 35-year-old to get near the top of the leaderboard as he currently lies in a tie for 45th.
Elsewhere, Irishman Niall Kearney posted a 68 to finish on four-under and amateur John Murphy is two shots further back on two-under par.
