Seamus Power looking on bright side despite losing fully exempt status
Seamus Power
Séamus Power was looking on the bright side for 2026 despite coming up three shots short in his bid to retain fully exempt status on the PGA Tour.
He needed to finish third to break into the top 100 in the FedExCup Fall standings, but a three-under 67 left him tied for seventh on 18-under-par.
"I don't really follow it that much," Power said of the new exemption categories for 2026, which see fully exempt status awarded to the top 100 rather than the top 125.
"I knew it probably had to win or finish second or something to be top 100. But I played well, didn't really get much going on the greens, which was disappointing. But that's golf sometimes. Hopefully, I move up a couple of spots."
He moved up from 129th to 117th in the standings and planned to sit down last night to look into his status for 2026.
"I'm not even sure the categories for next year, but I'll check that out this evening and go from there," Power said as Finland's Sami Valimaki shot 66 to win by a shot from Max McGreevy on 23 under.
As for his season, which was again affected by injury, he was pleased to see some form return late on.
"I finished it really nicely, which was great," he said after his first top-10 since the Valspar Championship in March.
"With injuries, it was a struggle early in the season, so it was nice to get some healthy golf there in the Fall and get some momentum and a bit of confidence going. So hopefully I can bring that into January '26."
Meanwhile, world number one Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand shot a four-under 68 to win the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship by four shots from compatriot Pajaree Anannarukarn on 26 under and pocket $4 million.
Leona Maguire closed with a 73 to finish 58th in the 60-strong field on two-over-par, winning $55,500.
On the Sunshine Tour, The K Club's Liam Grehan closed with a one-under 71 to finish joint 17th in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final at Pezula Golf Estate, eight shots behind playoff winner Casey Jarvis.
Hermitage's Rowan Lester saved the best for last and made nine birdies in a 64 to finish joint 23rd on 15 under.
