Seamus Power will roar into the New Year after a win and two top-5 finishes in his final three starts to round off 2022. Having already started his season in flourishing style, next year promises so much as his career continues to soar in an inevitable upward curve.
It seems Power is constantly breaking through the glass ceiling, now a career-high 28th in the world, there are major possibilities for the Waterford native who has done things his way to come from Monday qualifiers to a multiple PGA TOUR winner on the brink of Ryder Cup selection.
And, it seems that when there is an Irish success in the world of golf, Bob Rotella has his fingerprints smeared all over it somehow. Having convinced Power nobody knew his swing better than himself his reliance on swing coach Ken Guilford has waned with the Tooraneena man flying solo since 2020 on his journey towards the top.
“I haven’t really had a swing coach for a couple years now,” he said. “Just I found myself kind of chasing my tail for a long time. Just constantly, if I have a bad round, I was kind of like out there trying to look for a fix. You know, you realise it’s just golf, some days are going to be better than others. Kind of staying in your lane and figuring out, again, what works and what doesn’t and just kind of sticking to that through thick and thin has been really one of the keys for me.”
Power currently occupies one of the three automatic spots on the European Ryder Cup World Points list since winning at the Bermuda Championship, which has thrust him firmly into the frame for Luke Donald’s 2023 side in Rome.
Power has been coy so far when questioned about a potential debut in blue. But his latest win has assured him of major championship appearances and spots in all the big fields, and should he continue in this vein of form while impressing at the Hero Cup in front of the skipper he will take up residence in Donald’s cerebrum and become almost impossible to ignore.
“I’ve talked to him a couple times and then I’ll see him in January for the Hero it’s called, the new team event. Yeah, We’ll see him there.
“Yeah, I saw him in Bermuda, just got to congratulate him on being captain, and I’ve talked to him a couple times since. Nothing major. It’s nice to be at least on the radar, something obviously I wouldn’t have been a couple years ago. There’s a lot of golf to be played yet, but certainly off to a good start in the standings so far.”
Power has already displayed his prowess in matchplay, reaching the quarter-finals of the WGC Matchplay this year, beating Patrick Cantlay and Tyrrell Hatton along the way.
A wizard around the greens, his sorcery with the scoring clubs could prove an asset for the Boys in Blue as they look to stem the tide following a humbling record-breaking defeat to the USA last year which could spell a period of transition for the Europeans and a shift in power in the biennial contest.
“I’ve always felt like this is in there. That’s why we play, that’s why you’re out here. If you didn’t think you were good enough to win, I don’t know how long I would have stayed out here. Yeah, it’s fun getting yourself in those positions and hopefully I can do more of the same once the spring kicks off.
“Just kind of become more and more comfortable, kind of figure out what you’re doing with your game and kind of figure out what you can and can’t do and just kind of being comfortable with that.
“I mean, like I can chip and putt well with anyone. Even the last couple days I didn’t hit it well, but I was able to keep it on the golf course and then I just felt I had a chance. I only made a couple bogeys and the way I was hitting it should have been a lot more, but I’ve always been very good at that.
For a long time, it’s easy, especially out here you see guys every year, you see young guys that can do cooler stuff like hitting it longer and all this kind of stuff. But I just figured out what I can do and what I can’t do and I try to stick to that as best I can when I’m out on the course. Yeah, it’s been a good stretch of golf and hoping it’ll continue.”
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