Simplicity key as Power seeks maiden PGA Tour win

Seamus Power

Seamus Power credits a simplification of his swing and a new putting grip as big keys to his good form as he fired a bogey-free 66 to lie just three shots off the lead in the weather-delayed Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.

The West Waterford man was fourth reserve for the tournament last Sunday night but he took advantage of a late call-up, firing six birdies in a bogey-free effort at Detroit Golf Club to share fifth place behind clubhouse leader Davis Thompson.

The 22-year old from Alabama shot a nine-under 63 to lead by two strokes from Brandon Hagy, England’s Tom Lewis and Chile’s Joakim Niemann.

But Power was happy to continue his fine recent run of form and finish with three straight birdies to share fifth place with JJ Spaun on six-under.

“Most of the highlights were at the end there,” Power said. “It was a good finish. I made a bit of a mess on No. 4, the par 5, and made a good par putt to save. Then I was able to pick ones up there on 7, 8 and 9 to really kind of turn a solid round into a good one. So overall, very pleased.”

While his weekends continue to disappoint, Power has been in superb form lately, finishing tied ninth in the AT&T Byron Nelson and tied 19th in both the Palmetto Championship and the Travelers Championship to move up to 159th in the FedEx Cup standings,

He needs to be in the top 125 to have full playing privileges next year, but he’s looking for that life-changing maiden win and a cheque for $1,350,000 after fully recovering from left elbow surgery last year and refining his putting and iron play.

“I've been playing better recently,” he said. “It's been a funny season. I've actually been playing pretty well for a while, but I had to get like surgery at the end of the fall so the fall was really a struggle, I couldn't really practise the way I wanted to, and even early in January, February I couldn't really hit balls. 

“So since then it's been pretty steady and it's been kind of a positive progression. I was able to find some things in the swing. My iron play's been very good, driver's getting there, made a grip change on the putter. It's just kind of coming together. Long ways to go, lot of improvements to make, but it's definitely some moves in the right direction.”

Changing to the claw grip with the putter appears to be working well after he ranked 20th for putting yesterday.

“I went to kind of a claw grip thing there starting after I think February time,” he said. “Just kind of felt comfortable. Some of it's probably just to freshen it up since I wasn't playing great. That's been a nice little change of pace, too.”

As for his swing, Power no longer tries to move the ball both ways and hitting it straight appears to be working well for him as he looks to figure out what suits him best.

“I’ve been just simplifying,” he said. “In this world, you have access to so much information now with the technology on the driving ranges and with all the coaches. You just go on and on. 

“You go on any social media and it's some swing, someone's breaking down a swing. It's like everyone swings it differently, so just kind of trying to figure out what you do and what you do well and focus on that instead of kind of what other guys are doing or what other guys have been advised to do, that’s what I've tried to do.

“At the moment I'm hitting my irons really nicely, which is good. I was for a while trying to hit both shapes and do all this stuff, but now I'm just trying to hit my irons pretty straight, just kind of suits my eyes a lot better, I kind of see things in straight lines in terms of golf. “Even something simple like that. What makes sense to other people, I don't know, but in my head it makes a bit more sense just to pick a line and try to hit it straight at that spot.”