Seamus Power remains four back of the lead after failing to build on a quick start at the halfway stage of the RSM Classic in Georgia.
Teeing off four adrift of overnight leader Cole Hammer, Power roared out of the traps with an opening birdie followed up by three successive birdies from the 14th – his 5th – before a bogey on 17 saw him turn in 33.
The Waterford native briefly moved to within three of the lead on –9 after birdies on the second and eighth but a closing dropped shot saw him fall out of the top-10 and into a share of 15th on eight-under-par.
Hammer, Harry Higgs and Andrew Putnam are in a share of the lead on twelve-under-par.
Hammer who was out in front on his own after the opening round fired a four-under 66 that included three birdies on his back nine on the Sea Island course.
“I was a little bit depressed after 7 and 8, for sure. I put myself in great position to make birdies and I walked out with two bogeys, and that’s almost inexcusable, especially when there are birdies to be made out there. But coming back firing on 9 and then making a birdie on 10 kind of erasing those bogeys on two of the tougher holes right away was huge for momentum and for confidence. Then I rolled one in on 12 and then just kind of played steady golf in from there.
“Yeah, it was obviously very much a rollercoaster round, but sometimes that’s the way it is.”
Hammer has endured a torrid time on the PGA Tour this year, not making a cut as a professional. Meanwhile, Higgs lost his tour card at the end of last season but has taken a step towards regaining his full playing privileges with a seven-under 63 at the same course.
Higgs shot a 62 in Mayakoba which has built some much-needed momentum for the very likeable golfer.
The American was bogey-free in round two having hit 33 of 36 greens through two rounds.
“I feel like it could be better because I always feel like it could be better. Yesterday I got so cold and just couldn’t move so we were just like playing a slapshot for the last nine holes. Fortunately, a lot of the slapshots went to where I could continue to play from.
“I have a very clear idea and kind of thought about what I want it to feel like and what that feel will then produce, which is awesome, haven’t had that in a long time. I’d say it’s about
30 percent of the time that I actually want to produce what I want to feel, but in at least thinking and committing to that, it keeps everything a little tighter, right? I’m not having these big misses, I’m striking them all well enough that it’s going to cover that bunker or whatever it may be.
“And again, 33 of 36, the way that I’m putting, I just have to get it somewhere on the green and it’s probably going to come close to going in the hole. Hopefully close to going in the hole or in the hole with good speed so we don’t have to stress with wind.
“You can get some kind of iffy four-footers here downhill, cross-grain, like leave them close to the hole when they miss, which I did a good job of today.
“Yeah, the only stinking bogey I made was yesterday when I hit one too hard and then kind of misread. I think I probably missed like a three-footer. So yeah, I’m putting great, but I would really like one of them back.”
Putnam on the PL Course shot a seven-under 65 to grab himself a share of the lead.
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