Seamus Power seven shots off blistering early pace at The Sentry in Hawaii

Seamus Power is two shots off the lead after carding a two-under 71 in Thursday's opening round at The Sentry tournament in Hawaii.

Marking the opening salvo of the 2024 PGA Tour season, the Waterford native was among the players taking to the Plantation Course at Kapalua.

But on a day when the vast majority of the field were shooting low scores, Power had a mixed round, starting well with a birdie on the first before further gains on five and nine, the only front nine blemish coming via a bogey on six.

Another setback followed on 14 to push him back to one under but he bounced back immediately on 15 to finish two under for his round, leaving him tied for 46th in the 59-strong field which is made up of last year's PGA Tour winners and top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings.

LEADERBOARD

At the top of the leaderboard, Sahith Theegala birdied seven of his final nine holes to take a one-shot lead.

The American's nine-under-par 64 leads a group of five players, including major champions Collin Morikawa and Jason Day, plus FedEx champion Viktor Hovland.

Colombia's Camillo Villegas and South Korean Sungjae Im are also on eight under, with world number one Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Jordan Spieth among those a shot further adrift.

On a day of low scoring, Theegala reached the turn at three-under-par before six consecutive birdies catapulted him into the last - another at the last, giving him the top spot on his own after a bogey at the 16th.

Morikawa made six birdies and an eagle in his 65, while Hovland birdied seven of his last 10 holes.

Additional reporting: PA