Séamus Energy was impressed by Liverpool’s Champions League success as he shot a best-of-the-day 65 on the robust South Course to get off to a flying begin within the Farmers Insurance coverage Open at Torrey Pines.
As Brooks Koepka returned to PGA Tour motion with a lacklustre 73 on the former US Open venue, Energy rolled in 160 ft of putts and birdied his final three holes en path to a seven-under spherical that left him simply three photographs off the lead.
Justin Rose (45) rolled again the years and blasted a 10-under 62 on the better North Course to guide by a shot from Justin Decrease, who additionally performed the North.
However now that he’s injury-free and sharp once more after lastly getting in a correct run of low season follow, Energy (38) believes he’s acquired the sport once more to play his method again into the megabucks Signature Occasions.
“I scored effectively immediately,” beamed the West Waterford man, who was tied for fifth after making eight birdies on the harder of the 2 San Diego programs.
“I putted very, very effectively. Truly, I used to be a bit of off with a few of my ball-striking—I’m struggling on left-to-right winds—however I used to be capable of handle it sufficient, after which clearly birdieing the final three was enormous.
.“I all the time say if you break 70 round that course, you are doing a whole lot of issues proper, so clearly, 65, very pleased with the beginning, and hopefully I get after it and proceed there tomorrow on the North.”
Energy battled accidents in 2024 and 2025 and after ending outdoors the highest 100 within the FedExCup final season, he’s on the skin trying in on the subject of the Majors and the large cash Signature Occasions.
However he believes he’s getting his confidence again and has the sharpness to make hay and doubtlessly play his method into the big-time tournaments once more, so long as he stays affected person.
“It has been a wierd couple of years for me,” stated the Tooraneena native, who birdied all 4 par-threes in a spherical the place his solely dropped shot in a superb placing show was a long-range three-putt on the fourth that erased his birdie two on the third.
“Beginning on the Sony, it was the primary 12 months in three years I used to be really capable of follow within the offseason, simply with accidents and all this type of stuff.
“So it was nice to return out and really feel like the sport is already in a great place, as an alternative of looking for it out right here, as a result of it is robust if you do not have your A recreation out right here and also you’re looking for it.
“There are such a lot of good gamers and difficult golf programs. So it is good to be sharp and able to go. And I feel that is the largest factor.
“In any other case, you are knocking your confidence right here and there, whereas I am sort of feeling like I’m constructing within the different course. So I’m very pleased with every thing.”
After making birdies on the sixth and par-three eighth, Energy birdied the tenth and rolled in a monster 52-footer for a two on the eleventh earlier than following one other birdie two on the sixteenth with two extra birdies to complete.
As an avid Reds fan, he admitted he was impressed by Liverpool’s 6-0 Champions League win over Qarabağ in midweek
“Completely, sure, it was (an inspiration),” he grinned. “We wanted it! So it was nice to see them into the final 16 there.”
As for his 4 birdie twos, he’s solely the fifth participant to birdie all 4 on the South Course since 1983.
“It was humorous, as a result of initially, I used to be hitting it very well and never making the putts,” Energy stated.
“I imply, they don’t seem to be simple par threes out right here, so it was implausible. My faculty coach all the time stated twos add up very slowly on the scorecard, in order that helped lots there.”
Whereas scoring is all the time decrease on the North Course, Energy has struggled to play effectively there and hopes to buck that pattern immediately.
“It is extra of the identical,” he stated of his recreation plan. “You positively have some extra apparent birdie alternatives on that facet, however you continue to should hit the fairways.
“Hopefully, I can get in the correct spots to present myself some probabilities once more.”
As for his schedule, which stays ill-defined after he didn’t make the highest 100 within the FedEx Cup who’re exempt most weeks, he believes he’s going to should be affected person, put his head down and hope good golf types it out.
“I am not nice at this as a result of in my first couple of years, I used to be within the Elevated Occasions, so I did not pay a whole lot of consideration,” he confessed, including that he could should win this week to have an opportunity of qualifying for subsequent week’s AT&T Pebble Seashore Professional-Am, the primary of eight Signature Occasions.
“So I do not fairly know the way it works, however look, if I play effectively, I feel it is going imply good issues.
“I feel I am trying fairly good for the Cognizant Basic after which Puerto Rico the week after, after which it should be extra of the identical from there.
“Possibly I can play my method into The Gamers, or Bay Hill, however I have not actually regarded previous that, as a result of the numbers are difficult with the brand new setup of the tour.
“I am hoping to perhaps get into Valspar, Houston and San Antonio. If I get one or two of these, that might be nice. As soon as I get to 144, I feel I ought to be good for the remainder of the summer season, so we’ll see.
“The cool factor is, my recreation is an effective spot, so I really feel prefer it’s simpler to be affected person.”
As for former LIV star Koepka, the Floridian admitted he was nervous on his PGA Tour return and whereas he missed too many fairways to present himself probabilities to make birdies, he loved the group and felt his first tee nerves have been factor.
“Simply because I care,” he stated of his motive for being nervous. “I feel I’ve fallen again in love with the sport.
“And truthfully, watching my son play a bit of bit and wanting to have the ability to see him watch me, or I suppose need him to observe me play effectively and realise how a lot this recreation’s given me, how enjoyable it’s and the way cool it’s to simply be out right here.”
