Seamus Power has bumped Rory McIlroy off his No. 1 spot on the FedEx Cup standings with another impressive showing in finishing in a five-way share of third place at the World Wide Technologies Mayakoba Championship in Mexico.
Power posted a closing three-under-par 68 for an 18-under-par total at Riviera Maya on Mexico’s north-east Caribbean shoreline.
American Russell Henley strolled his way seemingly at ease to his fourth PGA Tour triumph, signing for a one-under 70 to win by four shots at 23-under and with left-handed compatriot Brian Harman signing for a closing 66 for a 19-under tally.
Henley’s win sees the 33-year-old Georgia-born golfer leap 149 spots to fifth on the FedEx Cup standings while he jumps from World No. 59 to No. 32.
Power’s move comes just a week after capturing a second PGA Tour triumph at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, and in just five events of this new 2022/23 wraparound season.
As well, in moving to No. 1 on the FedEx Cup standings Power will continue on setting another world ranking career high, becoming World No. 29.
Three weeks ago, the Las Vegas-based Irishman was ranked 104th on the FedEx Cup points list.
Power will also move up the European Ryder Cup standings and into the top-3 on the ‘World’ points table.
“Today was weirdly the same as yesterday as I holed a few shots but couldn’t get much going on the greens,” he said. “My speed was just a fraction off. Like early in the week before the rain they were a little quicker and I couldn’t just quite get adjusted just to that slightly slower speed.
“It was good to hang in there. Hit a lot of good shots today, I was able to get a high finish out of it. Obviously just couldn’t quite get it going today and put any pressure on Russell”
The Waterford golfer’s closing round was an exhibition of patience. There wasn’t a golf bag full of birdies, in fact just three birdies including back-to-birdies at four and five along with a third birdie at the 13. There were no bogeys but there was a lot of birdie chances and also many great par saves, as reflected in holing a great 10-footer from the right on the fringe at the par-4 11th hole (see video below).
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Over the four days, Power produced a hole-in-one, an eagle, 18 birdies and only four bogeys.
He’s elected not to contest this week’s Houston Open and instead is moving house and in doing so, he’ll also have the great task of finding a new home for this pair of PGA Tour victory trophies.
“I’m not going to play Houston. I’m going to play the RSM in whatever it is, 10 days’ time,” he said. “I’m going to have a week off, get back to Las Vegas tomorrow, get some rest and catch up on things and get ready for one more before the end of the season or the end of the year.”
And while Power has bumped McIlroy off the top of the money list, Scottie Scheffler will head to the Houston Open with his odds much longer in knocking McIlroy off his No. 1 world ranking.
Scheffler shot the lowest Mayakoba final round score of 62 to be among those finishing in a share of third but needing to be second on his own to move back to No. 1.
That task for the Masters champion will be a little more reachable heading to America’s fourth largest city.
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