Power just four back in Puerto Rico; Campos and Murray lead
Rafael Campos of Puerto Rico plays his shot from the sixth tee during the third round of the Puerto Rico Open at Grand Reserve Country Club on February 27, 2021 in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Seamus Power posted his best round on the PGA Tour this season to go into the final round of the Puerto Rico Open just four shots off the lead.
The West Waterford star (33) carded a five-under 67 in squally conditions at Grand Reserve Country Club to lead on the clubhouse on 10-under par just before play was suspended, eventually ending the day in solo 10th place.
Puerto Rico’s Rafael Campos looked set to lead on his own but he bogeyed the par-five and Grayson Murray made birdie to card a 65, leaving them tied for the lead on 14-under par, one stroke clear of Cameron Percy and South Africa’s Brandan Grace.
“I played nicely the winds kind of died now but when we were in the middle of the round it was really blowing,” said Power, who birdied the second and third, three-putted the fourth for his lone bogey but then birdied the seventh to turn in 34.
“I’m pretty pleased,” added Power who has made just one cut from his first six starts of the 2020-21 season. “I didn’t play the par fives as well as I would’ve liked oh but overall I had a nice round and hopefully another good one tomorrow.”
Seamus Power
The man from Tooraneena had a solid back nine, picking up shots at the 12th, 14th and par-three 16th in blustery conditions and occasional showers.
“It was interesting. We got three rain showers on the course. One early on the fourth when it rained for nearly two minutes but the wind didn’t die. We got another one on the 15th and the wind didn’t die. And then it‘s starting to mist now and the wind died. It’s changing conditions but growing up in Ireland you get used to changing conditions. You go from having a 25 mile an hour help on 16 to almost no help on 18. You’re adjusting as you go.”
Power had 11 single putts in a 26-putt round, hitting eight of 14 fairways and 13 greens and bar his three-putt at the fourth, he scrambled for par five times out of five.
What pleased him most was his birdie at the 14th, which he’d bogeyed on the previous two days.
“I had a different club off the tee — a three wood — so the change of strategy worked. it’s always kind of nice when you see something pay off. Overall I like the course I’ve always felt kind of comfortable here. So it’s just more about hitting some good shots.”
Pádraig Harrington had a tougher day at the office, slipping from tied 37th to 63rd on one-under after a one-over 73.
He birdied the par-five second and fifth but double-bogeyed the sixth, then bogeyed the 12th and 13th before getting a shot back at the par-three 16th.
Europe’s Ryder Cup skipper hit seven fairways and 11 greens in regulation, taking 29 putts.
Puerto Rico native Rafa Campos (-14/T1) seeks his first career PGA TOUR title and third top-10 finish at the Puerto Rico Open (T8/2016, T10/2017); best 54-hole position before this week was T4 at the 2017 Puerto Rico Open (T10)
Playing out of the Korn Ferry Tour’s 2018-19 top-125/top finishers category, Grayson Murray (-14/T1) made eight birdies in round three, one shy of his TOUR best for a round; in only other Puerto Rico Open start, missed last year’s cut; lone PGA TOUR victory came at the 2017 Barbasol Championship, also an additional event on the PGA TOUR; most recent of five top-10 finishes on TOUR came at The American Express in 2020 (T10)
Making his eighth start in the Puerto Rico Open, Australia’s Cameron Percy (-13/T3) reeled off four consecutive birdies (Nos. 2-5) en route to a 5-under 67, his 11th consecutive sub-par score in the event; best of seven previous finishes was T14 in 2013; remains in search of his first career TOUR title in his 163rd start this week; competing out of the Top 50 2019 Korn Ferry Tour category
Making his first start in the Puerto Rico Open, South Africa’s Branden Grace offset three bogeys with seven birdies
to post a 4-under 68; seeks a second career TOUR title (2016/RBC Heritage)
36-hole leader Brandon Wu (-12/T5) bogeyed his last two holes to finish with a 1-under 71; is making his seventh professional start on the PGA TOUR, with a T17 at the 2019 Houston Open his best among them; California native posted five top-10s in nine Korn Ferry Tour starts in 2020, highlighted by a win at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance; finished season at No. 4 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List; In only previous PGA TOUR start this season, missed the cut at the U.S. Open
After missing the cut in all seven previous Puerto Rico Open starts, Edward Figueroa (-4/T43) chipped in for eagle at his last hole in round two, the par-5 18th, to make the 1-under 143 cut on the number; proceeded to birdie four of his first six holes in round three en route to a 3-under 69
