Power left to rue costly three-hole stretch
Seamus Power. Picture: PGA of America
Seamus Power dropped four shots and fell six shots off the lead in a costly 30-minute spell as the wind-lashed AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am headed for a Monday finish.
The West Waterford man went into the second round just two shots behind leader Kurt Kitayama after a sensational second-round 64 at Monterey Peninsula Country Club.
But after picking up birdies at the 17th, 18th and second to get to 10-under par at Pebble Beach Golf Links to lie just a shot off the lead, Power bogeyed the third, three-putted for a double-bogey six from four and a half feet at the fourth and then bogeyed the par-three fifth.
He suddenly found himself tied 18th on six-under, six shots behind new leader Peter Malnati when play was suspended due to recorded wind gusts of 32 mph.
Malnati picked up six shots in his first 12 holes at Pebble Beach to lead by two shots from Joseph Bramlett and Keith Mitchell on 12-under.
The third round is scheduled to resume at 8 am local time today (4 pm Irish time), with the final round set for 12:30 pm (8:30 pm Irish time) with the finish set for Monday.
Officials changed the cut rule from the top 60 and ties to the top 65 and ties, while the pro-am portion of the event has been shortened to 54 holes.
If Power was left to rue missing his second putt from 18 inches at the fourth, Pádraig Harrington was left to regret four late bogeys in the Ras Al Khaimah Championship.
He stormed to the turn in five-under 31, then birdied the 10th to get within a shot of the lead but bogeyed the 11th, 12th, 15th and 18th for a 70 that left him tied 23rd and nine shots behind South African Zander Lombard on seven-under heading into today's final round.
Lombard shot a nine-under 63 to lead by one stroke from Rasmus Hojgaard, who shot 68, on 16-under.
Tom McKibbin was the best of the Irish, eight shots off the lead in tied 18th, after making an eagle and six birdies in a five-under 67.
On the Challenge Tour, Portmarnock's Conor Purcell gave himself a chance heading into the final round of the Bain's Whisky Cape Town Open.
The Dubliner (25) shot a seven-under 67 at Royal Cape to go into the final round tied sixth on 10-under and just three shots behind leaders Darren Fichardt of South Africa and Menjamind Follett-Smith from Zimbabwe.
"It was a very, very solid day and nothing too spectacular," said Purcell, who is chasing his maiden Challenge Tour win. "I kept bogeys off the card, which was nice, made the most of all the chances that I had and my lag putting has been good as well, so, overall, great day.
"It's quite a playable golf course off the fairway, but the minute you hit it in the rough, it becomes a much different beast. So I am just keeping it in play and not trying to overpower the place.
"I don't think it's a crazy long course by any stretch, and all the par fives are quite gettable. So I've managed to capitalise on all the par fives so far, and we're trying to do it again tomorrow."
Purcell feels his mindset has been key to his good start to the season and hopes to keep that up in the final round.
"I just feel very at ease and I don't feel I have to force anything or try to do well a certain week," he said.
"I feel like over the course of the year, I'll be fine and happy where things are. I'm not really focusing on scores as much as I have done in the past. Just trying to make the right decisions, hit the right shots and see where it leaves me in the end."
