Murphy lands Pebble Beach invite; Power eyes $5 million barrier; Dawson and Phelan in Singapore
PLENEUF VAL ANDRE - JUNE 24: John Murphy of Ireland plays his first shot on the 11th hole on during Day One of the Open de Bretagne at Golf Bluegreen de Pleneuf Val Andre on June 24, 2021 in Pleneuf, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
Seamus Power can take his PGA TOUR career earnings beyond $5 million with a top 20 finish in this week’s Sony Open in Hawaii. But as the West Waterford man (34) closes in on his goal of making the world’s top 50 and clinching a place in the Masters, he’s also proving to be an inspiration to others.
Kinsale’s John Murphy, who burst onto the scene last year by making the final group in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, will be joining Power on the PGA TOUR next month when he tees it up on a sponsor’s invitation in the $8.7 million AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am from February 3-6.
“A few contacts I had in the States recommended I request an invite and then put my name forward,” said Murphy (23), who will also play the AT&T Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in May as a reward for winning the prestigious Byron Nelson Award when at college at the University of Louisville last year.
“It is going to be strange starting my season with a PGA Tour event and then going straight from there to South Africa for the Challenge Tour but I am very lucky I have that opportunity and I’m really looking forward to getting out to California with my Shane O’Connell and getting to know the courses. It should be a great week.
Seamus Power
“With the Byron Nelson invite as well, I’ll have two PGA tour starts before the summer even comes around so hopefully I can put a marker down.”
Murphy is following in the footsteps of fellow Munster man Power, who graduated from East Tennessee State University and is now ranked 63rd in the world.
“I’m really looking forward to the fact that Seamus is going to be there. It’s going to be pretty cool because my parents I’ve been following his progress pretty religiously since he got to the Korn Ferry Tour,” added Murphy, who is practising in Portugal. “I’d say they’re nearly more excited than I am to see me to get up in the same event as him to be able to follow in Seamus footsteps, well that’s the dream isn’t it.”
Power, who tied for 15th in the Sentry Tournament of Champions last week, is chasing his second PGA TOUR win at par-70 Waialae Country Club this week with Cameron Smith, Harris English, Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer just some of the big names to beat.
But he’s also fully aware of up and coming stars like Murphy and he’s delighted to hear he’s heading stateside.
“It was brilliant to see him in the Alfred Dunhill Links last year,” Power said. “Making the final group that early in a career is serious going and unreal experience.”
Power finish on 20 under par at the wide-open Plantation Course last week, a whopping 14 shots behind record-breaking winner Smith.
Robin Dawson
But while he’s not expecting scoring to be as hot this week, he likes the course and hopes to improve in missed cuts in his last two visits.
“It is quite different. It’s a smaller property with smaller fairways, thicker rough and more doglegs so scoring won’t be as low. Starting with it being a par 70 I suppose.
“But in the past it’s normally around 20 under but it can be wind dependent. The course will play a little different this year too with it being softer. That was also a major factor last week as the rains leading up to these weeks have been substantial. “I have always liked the course without too much success here but I haven’t felt as good about my game at this point of the year in the past so hopefully I can make it count.
“What pleased me most last week was I felt I was able to continue my good play after a break. I really was in good control last week especially after the first round and felt I was very close to an excellent week with a couple of breaks.”
As Power tees it up with Australia’s Cam Davis and Charles Howell III (22:20 Irish time), Tramore’s Robin Dawson and Waterford’s Kevin Phelan will be well finished after the opening round of the Asian Tour’s $1 million Singapore International at Tanah Merah Country Club.
Dawson is playing on a sponsor’s invitation while Phelan is playing thanks to the status he achieved at the 2019 Asian Tour Q-School.
