Seamus Powering along nicely in rookie year on Tour

We’ve grown accustomed to such levels of achievement by Irish players on Tour in recent times that by all accounts, 2017 has been quite the damp squib in comparison. Yet while the McIlroy’s and Lowry’s of this world make the headlines for high profile missed cuts and questionable attitudes, one Waterford native has gone quietly about his business in his rookie year on the PGA Tour. Seamus Power has been plodding along nicely amongst the big boys and although he hasn’t seen one of his notoriously strong starts through to the finish, there’s much reason to believe a breakthrough win could still be on the way.
 

 Image from Golffile
 
Power has always been a winner, whether it was picking up three Irish Youths titles amongst a plethora of others back home, or becoming the first Irishman to win on the Web.com Tour in Indiana in 2016, winning’s always been in the DNA. And he’s certainly been knocking on the door this year too.
 
He held the halfway lead at the Wells Fargo back in May only for a third round 77 to derail his chances. He went to the St Jude Classic in Memphis in June and again started brightly, a second round 65 had him three off the lead. But again on moving day, Seamus went backwards. Still, for all his early weekend disappointments, Power could be consoled by the ease at which he was making cuts. Sure there was some expensive Saturdays, but Power was banking money, the key to any rookie’s chances of survival on the cruellest tour of all.
 
In fact Power has had some stellar finishes since, and July just gone was a particularly encouraging month. The Saturday blues were banished at The Greenbrier Classic with a fine 67 and that momentum was taken into the John Deere where a weekend 66/67 finish propelled Seamus through the field and into a tie for 25th.
 
The upward curve continued and as the golfing world rode the rollercoaster with Jordan Spieth on that Sunday in Birkdale, Power headed into the last round of the Barbosal Championship after a scintillating 64 the day before. Starting his final round from 11th position, eight shots behind leader Scott Stalling, Power got off to a perfect birdie start before a bogey on 6 halted his charge. He returned a two under par 69 resulting in his best finish in this company to date, tied 18th, not to mention a cool cheque worth just under $43,000 and another made cut this week in Canada is adding to his momentum 
 

 Power with his rookie PGA Tour Card
 
In March of this year, Power spoke to us here at Irish Golfer Magazine and hammered home the importance of him taking advantage of his limited starts this season. It certainly seems as though he’s stumbled across a formula to do just that. And it will come as no surprise to his Olympic playing partner, Padraig Harrington, who having witnessed Power’s attributes first hand in Rio, predicted a fruitful transition to the big time for Seamus once he found his feet.
 
“Seamus is a strong player, a big hitter of the ball and it won’t surprise me at all that he will do very nicely here on the Tour”, said Harrington. “I also think he can become a PGA Tour winner once he gets himself comfortable out here. I know what he’s going through at present, as I have been paying a lot of attention to him since we were partnered in Rio, and that’s trying to wrap-up his Tour card for next year.”
 
“But my advice to him is to realise that he is a good player and just be patient because, as I said, when he gets himself comfortable in his new surrounds he will show all of us how good a golfer he can be.”
 
The words of Padraig the prophet are starting to ring true with Power stalking those in the Top-125 on the FedEx Cup Race list, just outside the big-time in 140th place. Breaking into that bracket and securing his card for next year has long been the goal, but if Power can maintain the sort of consistent form that’s been making him a player on weekends of late, then there’s no reason why he shouldn’t aim even higher.