Power "proud" of another gutsy performance and dreaming of second tour win in Bermuda
TULSA, OK - MAY 22: Seamus Power of Ireland hits his shot from the seventh tee during the final round of the 2022 PGA Championship at the Southern Hills on May 22, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Montana Pritchard/PGA of America)
Séamus Power insists he's looking forward to the chance to chase down his second PGA TOUR win after producing a gutsy finish for the second day running to card at third successive 65 and take a share of the lead into the final round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
Despite the high winds blasting Port Royal, the West Waterford star played his first 11 holes in a sensational six-under to storm into the lead, and while he double-bogeyed the par-three 13th, he responded with birdies at the 16th and 17th to share the lead with Ben Griffin on 18-under par, two strokes clear of Kevin Yu and Australian Aaron Baddeley.
It was another impressive display from the world number 48, who is the highest-ranked player in the field and looking forward to adding to his 2021 Barbasol Championship win and giving his Ryder Cup campaign a significant boost.
"You're definitely satisfied after a day like today," said Power, who birdied four holes in a row from the second and added further birdies at the ninth and 11th to take the lead before recovering from a double-bogey five at the 13th by rolling in a 40 footer for a two at the difficult 16th and a 10 footer at the par-five 17th.
"I mean, I'm very pleased with that. Did a lot of good things and putted really nicely. And I'm kind of -- you know, proud of yourself sounds funny, but having that double bogey kind of to start a tough stretch and I was able to hang in there and actually get them back, so that was a huge bonus.
"But yeah, it was tough going out there. You knew you had to make your score in the first 11 or 12 and then kind of hold on for dear life, and I was able to do that for the most part. As I said, very pleased."
The West Waterford man, who could move into the top 10 in Europe's Ryder Cup World Points list with a win and secure spots in the 2023 Masters and the US PGA to boot, knows good golf will take care of all his dreams, including a Ryder Cup debut in Rome next year.
“Look, everyone wants to win and winning a year and a half ago was an unbelievable thing," Power confessed when asked about getting the attention of European Ryder Cup skipper Luke Donald.
"I'll never forget it and you want to put yourself in there again. But I've noticed over the last couple of years, Luke Donald and all those sorts of things look after themselves if you play good golf, so I'm looking forward to having some good fun with it tomorrow and seeing what happens."
As for his round, he admitted that getting up and down for par from the edge of a hazard at the first after removing his shoes and socks was key.
But he also kept his cool under stress and relied on a lifetime of playing in bad weather and three previous appearances in Bermuda to know what to do. A total of just 23 putts also helped.
Rolling the rock 🔄@Power4Seamus ties the lead @Bermuda_Champ. pic.twitter.com/TSPivmevLS
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 29, 2022
"I was able to hang in there and overall I putted very well, which is a huge bonus and it puts me in a good spot for tomorrow," Power said. "I don't know how comfortable you feel standing on the 16th tee aiming out to the ocean, but you know in these conditions, things are going to go wrong, and you've got to hang in there and try and keep the ball and play.
"I've played the last three years in all sorts of different winds, so I've seen how it's going to play. It's a matter of executing. There are four or five tee shots out there where you just have to put a good swing on it or you're going to struggle, so I'll do some practice here for 20 minutes and get ready for tomorrow."
Power will be paired in the final round with Korn Ferry Tour graduate Ben Griffin (26) with 10 players within six shots of the lead.
Griffin, who stepped away from the game and worked as a loan officer for a mortgage group during the summer of 2021 after hitting financial straits, birdied the last to card a 66 and tie with Power.
Chinese Taipei's Kevin Yu (24), another 2022 Korn Ferry Tour graduate, is two shots behind alongside Australian Baddeley (41), a four-time winner who had to Monday qualify this week while Texan Brian Gay (50), the 2021 winner, is just three behind on 15-under.
Unlikely Griffin, Power has never contemplated giving up the game and knows he will be able to fall back on his maiden win if he needs reminding of his talent,
"Look, it's a tough game and it's an individual sport, and individual sports have their ups and downs,” Power said. "When it's going well, it's great, but when it's going against you, it's tough.
"But I've always loved the game. I love kind of competing, trying to figure it out. You have some low points, absolutely. Stretches where you just feel like making a cut is just an absolute achievement, but I think that's what makes it such a fun game. It's days like today when things go your way, and that makes up for those days.
"I've never come to that point, but I can certainly see and I've known guys, I played mini-tours for four years and I had players I saw much better than me, and just ups and downs are tough going. It's not for everyone.
"As I said, I'm kind of lucky enough. You can just try to stay optimistic and remember the good times because you have plenty of those, but it's easy to get stuck on the downside."
Knowing he's a PGA TOUR winner will stand to Power on Sunday as he seeks a win that would catapult him to a career-high of around 32nd in the world and leave him exempt for the next three years.
“You've got to believe you can win," he said. "You do convince yourself, but to actually have it, it's written down there, you're a PGA Tour champion and it's something you'll always be able to say, that's one of the coolest things and that's something no matter what, even if you have a bad stretch, you know your best golf is good enough to win.
"That's a very comforting and kind of confident feeling that you have in your back pocket and it's something I've relied on ever since. Having some bad stretches, but you know once you get turned around, you can win again because you've shown it, you've put it on paper."
As for what's tougher, chasing the first win or snatching the second, Power has no answer just yet.
"It's hard to tell," he said. "I think winning's always going to be difficult. It's just some of the thoughts that will cross your mind, even I'm sure tonight and tomorrow, but that's where some of your practice and your training comes in, when you know what to do when those thoughts do come. I honestly don't know.
"Anytime down the stretch in that playoff when I won, they're tough times, so many thoughts just creep through your mind and that.
"It's about just doing what you can kind of control and make good swings whenever you can.
"I hit some great shots under pressure in Kentucky last summer, and it's something -- been in a lot of difficult spots since, just close your eyes and just picture some of those shots.
"It just helps because, again, you're under trying circumstances, under pressure and you're able to pull off some shots.
"So I'm going to have some moments like that tomorrow and that's something I'm definitely going to lean on."
The tournament winner will pick up a cheque for $1.17 million, an exemption until the end of 2025 and spots in the Sentry Tournament of Champions, The American Express, The Genesis Invitational, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, THE PLAYERS Championship, the Masters Tournament, the RBC Heritage, the PGA Championship, the Charles Schwab Challenge and the Memorial Tournament.
