Seamus Power will be under no illusions as to what’s required to secure a PGA Tour card for next season after an incredible open day at the Web.com Tour Championship at Atlantic Beach Country Club.
The West Waterford man opened with an ordinarily impressive four under par round of 67, but finds himself eight shots behind the leader and in a tie for 34th following the effort.
It was a day for low scoring in typically kind Florida sunshine, and starting from the 10th, Power looked set to do just that after back to back birdies over his opening two holes. He had to wait until the very gettable par-5 18th, his ninth before adding another but out in 33 and bogey free, Power was in fine shape.
Having missed out of the magic top-125 in the FedEx standings last month by just five places, Power was forced to look elsewhere in a bid to earn his PGA Tour playing privileges for next season and with the top-25 in the Web.com finals securing their card, this was the obvious route.
Going into this event in a projected 19th place, he would’ve been looking for more from his back nine, which started with a frustrating bogey on 11. He did bounce back with birdies on his 15th and 18th holes, the latter making dinner taste that much better I’m sure, but with all those going low around him, his -4 effort ultimately dropped him two places in the projected standings to 21st.
The bar has been raised as time runs out to earn the illusive golden ticket to the big time but no doubt Seamus is up for the challenge.
Raising that bar, and just three days out from the one-year anniversary of his grandfather, The King, Arnold Palmer’s passing, Sam Saunders etched his name in golfing folklore with a 12-under 59 to stamp his authority on the event.
Playing at his home track, Saunders blistered the field with 13 birdies on his way to becoming the seventh player in Web.com Tour history to post a round of 59 or better, and what a time to do it.
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