Power keeps South dream alive

Veteran Eddie Power completed a family double when he smashed his way into the last 16 of the weather-delayed South of Ireland at Lahinch.

The three-time Irish champion, 43, holed a 37-yard bunker shot for an eagle at the 18th to see off triple Irish Youths champion Seamus Power by one hole in the morning.

Then, just hours after his son Mark won the under eight Young Masters Golf title at Forrest Little, he beat Dubliner David Ryan 4 and 3 to set up a fifth round clash with Kieran Canty, who ousted defending champion Darren Crowe.

Play was suspended by lightning just after 7pm and was set to resume at 7 am today with five fourth round matches to be completed.

But that didn’t bother Power, who is still seeking to win his first South of Ireland title at the 26th attempt.

Power said: “I’ve been coming here for 26 years but the furthest I have been is the quarter-finals in 2002, when Sean McTernan beat me.

“Funnily enough I have had better results in the South since they changed the course. But it is the only championship I play.

“I’ve been retired since 1999 and I only play club golf with Kilkenny these days. We are in the Leinster quater-finals of the Irish Senior Cup now but this is the only championship I’ll be playing this year.

“That was an interesting golf game with Seamus today. We both hung there. I was two up after 11 and lost the next three in a row to go one down.

“I won the 15th with a par to level the match, got up and down from sand on 16 to stay level and then on the 18th I holed a 37 yard bunker shot to win it with an eagle.

“I've no ambition. I have another few rounds to play yet before I can think of winning. The younger guys are so fit and hit the ball so far. But I'd like a bit of wind to make it interesting.”

After two days of windless golf, Power hopes the wind blows hard today when he takes on Canty in the fifth round.

The Douglas man, 37, caused a major shock when he knocked out defending champion Crowe 3/1.

One down after six holes, Canty birdied the eight and ninth before claiming the 10th in par to go two up.

He then eagled the 12th with a five iron to six feet to go three in front and never looked back.