After their first formal competition coming together, Graeme McDowell is predicting a ‘long and successful career’ for fellow Emerald Isle golfing colleague Seamus Power.
McDowell and Power were grouped together for the opening two rounds of last week’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship and then found themselves in a three-ball on day three of the event.
Then after four days, in experiencing strong winds and driving rain, McDowell and Power shared 12th place in the event won by Aussie-born reigning Irish Open champion, Lucas Herbert.
Power arrived for a third visit as the reigning Barracuda Championship title-holder while McDowell was making a first journey to the famed Atlantic isle in 11-years, having contested the elite four-man Grand Slam of Golf back in 2010 as the 2010 U.S. Open winner.
Then in McDowell’s 258th PGA Tour sanctioned event and Power’s 111th, the duo finally got to officially tee-up in the same group. And while both were more focussed in battling the brutal conditions, there was still plenty of time to ‘chew the fat’ over the four rounds and then afterwards in the comfort of the host Port Royal clubhouse.
“Bizarrely, Bermuda was the first time Seamus and I had played alongside each other on the PGA Tour, so it was good to spend the two rounds in his company and we then found ourselves again grouped on day three,” said McDowell.
“I actually apologised to him saying I am sorry that it had taken this long to play some competition golf together. We may have played a few practice holes together somewhere but last week was a first in playing a serious, competitive game in each other’s company.
“So, it was really good to be grouped with him for three of the four days. He’s really strong off the tee. He’s also a very good chipper of the ball.
“To me, Seamus is the archetypal PGA Tour player. He drives it exceptionally well and has a very tidy short game. I really feel he has a long career ahead of him on the PGA because of those two very strong facets of his game.”
As for communication between each other over their three rounds?
“No, there wasn’t that much talk as Seamus is pretty quiet and he, like me, was just grinding away in fighting the conditions.”
The Irish duo went their own way on Sunday night ahead of each heading to Mexico for this week’s World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba, and also an exposed course laid out along the Caribbean shoreline.
IRISH WORLD RANKINGS
- Rory McIlroy – 8th (Unchanged)
- Shane Lowry – 42nd (Unchanged)
- Seamus Power – 100th (Up 5)
- Padraig Harrington – 183rd (Down 2)
- Graeme McDowell – 250th (Up 2)
- Jonathan Caldwell – 299th (Down 4)
- Niall Kearney – 418th (Down 2)
- John Murphy – 460th (Unchanged)
- Michael Hoey – 508th (Up 4)
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