Power keeps the faith in Hawaii
Séamus Power
SÉAMUS POWER combined endless patience and unshakeable confidence in his game to birdie three of his last four holes to keep his second PGA TOUR win in his sights at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
The West Waterford star missed five chances between 10 and 20 feet in his first seven holes at idyllic Waialae Country Club near Honolulu and fell outside the top 20 before he finished strongly and fired a five-under 65 in jump into a tie for third.
After following birdies at the eighth and ninth with another five pars, the Tooraneena man rattled in birdies at the 15th, 17th and 18th to go into the final round just four shots behind American Russell Henley on 14-under par.
“Today was a good day, to be honest,” said Power, who could go to 31st in the world and seal his Masters debut with a win and break into the world’s top 50 with a solo fourth-place finish.
“I felt right from the get-go that my game was under good control. It was frustrating for a while. I had good chances in six of the first seven holes or something like that and didn’t make any.
“I tried to stay patient and it was nice to pick up a few [birdies] late and make me feel better. It’s good to be in a good spot going into Sunday again and we’ll see if we can take advantage tomorrow.”
Henley hasn’t had a top-10 finish in this event since he captured the title in 2013.
He’s also winless since 2017, but after playing his first six holes in one-over-par yesterday, he covered the remainder in four-under, knocking in three twos in a 67 that gave him a two-stroke lead over Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama on 18-under par.
Playing seven groups behind overnight leader Henley, the Masters champion had just 25 putts in a bogey-free, seven-under 63.
Power will tee it up in the penultimate group with 28-year old Canadian Adam Svensson (65), tied for third with Matt Kuchar (67) and Haotong Li (68), just four shots off the pace and feeling good about his chances having broken through for his maiden win last summer.
“Ever since I was lucky enough to get the win, you always think you are good enough to do it or otherwise you wouldn’t be out here,” explained Power, who missed only two fairways and two greens in another excellent display of ball-striking.
“Knowing [you’ve won] and having that on the resumé, it does give you a little extra and hopefully, I can use it tomorrow”
“But knowing [you’ve won] and having that on the resumé, it does give you a little extra and hopefully, I can use it tomorrow.”
Power relies heavily on caddie Simon Keelan and the Munster pair had to work hard yesterday to keep on top of changing wind directions.
“The tricky thing today as it was a slightly different direction and it was kind of moving a little bit here and there,” he said. “I thought that was the kind of test with the wind today.
“It’s still not blowing what it normally does here, but just a little different test, like some of the holes were just playing in completely different directions.
“You just have to adjust. Simon and I were on top of it and were able to hit it pin high, which is always good.”
Power has had one win, five top-10s and seven top 25s in his last 20 starts, soaring from 434th to 63rd in the world over the past 12 months despite starting last year with three successive missed cuts.
Modestly putting his success down to “finally figuring some things out,” Power has drastically improved his ball-striking and added mental coach Dr Bob Rotella to his team year over the past year.
“Golf, everyone who has ever played it, sometimes it just kind of makes more sense than others,” he said. “But I been able to get it in a good spot. Kind of controlling my flight a lot better and being able to drive it a lot better.
“My short game and putting has always been a strength of add in some slightly better ball striking and it goes a long way.”
The top 17 players on the leaderboard are covered by just seven strokes, but leader Henley knows he is going to have to play well, having been forced to dig deep to avoid mistakes last night.
“Guys are so good out here,” Henley said. “You just have to play at such a high level for so long to be in contention. So hopefully, I can keep doing that and play well tomorrow, give myself a chance on the back nine.”
Third-Round Leaderboard
Russell Henley 62-63-67 – 192 (-18)
Hideki Matsuyama 66-65-63 – 194 (-16)
Adam Svensson 64-67-65 – 196 (-14)
Seamus Power 63-68-65 – 196 (-14)
Matt Kuchar 64-65-67 – 196 (-14)
Haotong Li 63-65-68 – 196 (-14)
Things to Know
Three-time PGA TOUR winner Russell Henley seeks second Sony Open in Hawaii title (2013) to become sixth multiple winner of the event
Hideki Matsuyama seeks to become the first multiple winner this season (2021 ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP)
Matsuyama posts 12th consecutive round in the 60s, the best active streak this season
The only player without a bogey this week, 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii winner Matt Kuchar is bogey-free through 54 holes for the first time in his career
Seven countries are represented among the top 10 players on the leaderboard
On the heels of the University of Georgia football team winning the National Championship for the first time since 1980, all 10 Georgia Bulldogs in the field made the cut, led by Henley (1st/-18)
Third-Round Lead Notes
9 Third-round leaders/co-leaders to win the Sony Open in Hawaii since 2000 (most recent: Matt Kuchar/2019)
4 Third-round leaders/co-leaders to win on TOUR in 2021-22 (most recent: Cameron Smith/Sentry Tournament of Champions)
Russell Henley (1st/-18) Entering the week
Age 32 (4/12/1989)
FedExCup: 42
OWGR: 56
Starts – wins – top-10s in PGA TOUR career: 229-3-33
Starts – wins – top-10s on TOUR in 2021-22: 5-0-1
Starts – wins – top-10s at Sony Open: 9-1-1
With win on Sunday, would become the sixth multiple winner of the event (Jimmy Walker/2014, 2015; Ernie Els/2003, 2004; Lanny Wadkins/1988, 1991; Corey Pavin/1986, 1987; Hubert Green/1978, 1979)
Holds the 54-hole lead/co-lead for the sixth time on TOUR (1-for-5 to date; 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii)
Most recently led after 54 holes at the 2021 Wyndham Championship before finishing T7 after final-round 1-over 71
192 represents his personal-best opening 54-hole score (previously: 193/2013 Sony Open in Hawaii)
Three-time PGA TOUR winner: 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii, 2014 The Honda Classic, 2017 Houston Open
Miscellaneous Notes
At 16-under 194, Hideki Matsuyama (2nd) sets his career-best 54-hole score on TOUR (197/most recent: 2021 Sony Open in Hawaii/T19); his third-round 63 marks 12th consecutive round in the 60s, currently best streak on TOUR this season
Dating to the final two holes of The 2021 RSM Classic, 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii champion Matt Kuchar (T3) has 56 holes without a bogey (career-best streak: 62 holes); marks first time in TOUR career to play opening 54 holes of a tournament bogey-free
In search of his first career TOUR win, Canadian Adam Svensson (T3) sits 14-under 196 for his career-best low 54-hole score on TOUR (199/Wyndham Championship/T31); finished T43 in only previous Sony Open start (2019)
At 14-under 196, Irishman Seamus Power (T3) tops previous-best low 54-hole score on TOUR by two strokes (198/2016 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba/T28); seeks his second career TOUR win (2021 Barbasol Championship) and sixth top-25 finish in his last seven starts on TOUR
Sponsor Exemption Haotong Li (T3) sets his career-best low 54-hole score on TOUR with 14-under 196 (201/2015 World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions/T7) in first TOUR start since the 2021 Open Championship (MC); in search of first career TOUR win; as a non-member, a top-10 finish would qualify him for The American Express
