Steady start for Power at US Q-School

Seamus Power made a good start to Stage Two of the PGA Tour Q-SchoolWest Waterford’s Seamus Power made a solid start to his bid for a US Tour card at the Second Stage of the PGA Tour Q-School in Florida.

A one under 70 left the former ETSU star tied for 33rd at the Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club just outside Fort Lauderdale .

The number of players who will go through to next month’s final stage is expected to be around 20 at each of the six Second Qualifying Stage venues.

All qualifiers for the Final stage are guaranteed a place on the Web.com Tour (formerly the Nationwide Tour) next year and Power is just two shots outside the top 20.

Americans Rob Oppenheim and Kris Blanks shot eight under 63s to lead by a shot from Australia’s Won Joon Lee while 2010 Ryder Cup star Ross Fisher, hailed as a player from Ireland (no doubt because of his Dublin-based management company), shot a three under 68 to share 11th.

Another Englishman, 2005 Walker Cup star Ollie Fisher, posted a two under 69 to share 23rd.

Power birdied the par-five first and bogeyed the eighth before coming home in one under with a bogey at the short 15th canceled out by a three at the 14th and a birdie four at the last.

He also finished his day one better than Sweden’s Jesper Parnevik and Tiger Woods’ best friend Notah Begay, who both shots 71s.

On the PGA Europro Tour it was a slow day for the Irish quartet in action in the season-ending 888poker.com Tour Championship at Woburn.

Jonny Caldwell, Mick McGeady and Paul Cutler all shot two over 74s to trail leader Paul Maddy by five shots which Limerick’s Tim Rice carded a three over 75.

The top five on the final Europro Tour order of merit will earn Challenge Tour cards with all four Irish players in need of a victory to keep that dream alive.