Power moves up as play suspended in California
Seamus Power
Seamus Power made two birdies in eight holes to move closer to making the cut before play was suspended due to darkness in the Safeway Open in Florida.
The West Waterford star was tied 100th after an opening 73 on his PGA Tour debut at Silverado Resort and Spa North in Napa.
But birdies from 10 feet at the first and fourth put the big man from Tooraneena on one under par, leaving him tied for 82nd just a shot outside the mark when play was called for the day.
Only a handful of groups managed to get on the course before play was called at 8:39 a.m. local time due to heavy rains. Over the next 2 hours and 36 minutes, .71 inches fell at Silverado Resort and Spa before play resumed at 11:15 a.m.
Play continued until 6:21 p.m. when it was halted again, this time due to darkness. Players will come back to finish the second round tomorrow morning at 7:45 a.m.
Rain and winds gusts upwards of 24 miles per hour are in the forecast for the next two days.
After opening with a birdie from 10 feet, Power had to chip and putt for par at the short second, then missed an eight footer for birdie at the third, where he wedged it close from the left rough,
He converted from 10 feet at the fourth, however, after another good short iron but couldn't make birdie from short right at the par-five fifth, coming up 12 feet short with his pitch from the rough.
He then did what Phil Mickelson couldn't do at the 221 yard seventh by getting up and down from left of the bunker for par.
Mickelson had 40 yards but hit to 12 feet and missed the putt as he carded a second successive 69 to get to six under, eight behind on course leader Scott Piercy (12 holes). But Power hit his 20 yard shot to seven feet and made the putt to remain on two under for the round.
He then two putted the eighth from 17 feet for par and will be looking to pick up several more shots over the last 10 holes and make the cut on the PGA Tour debut.
Piercy leads by two shots on 12 under from Johnson Wagner (14 holes) with Paul Casey (12 holes) third on 11 under.
Bill Haas, who stepped in to replace Tiger Woods alongside Mickelson and defending champion Emiliano Grillo (five under), leads in the clubhouse on eight under after rounds of 66 and 70.
