Power eagles last to make Sony Open cut in Hawaii
Seamus Power
Seamus Power spectacularly eagled the 18th to make the weekend with a shot to spare in the Sony Open in Hawaii.
The West Waterford man bogeyed three of his first seven holes in strong afternoon winds at Waialae Country Club to find himself back on level par for the tournament.
But after hitting approaches to within a couple of inches to birdie the eighth and ninth and turn in 36, he bogeyed the 11th and 16th to find himself a shot outside the projected one-under par cut line playing the 532-yard 18th.
A big drive left him just 204 yards to the green, and he took advantage and rifled his approach to 21 feet before rolling in the eagle putt.
His one over 71 left him tied for 47th on two under, tied with the likes of Robert McIntyre and Vijay Singh, just seven strokes behind a quartet of leaders.
Davis Riley shone brightest in the windy morning conditions and carded a six-under 64 that was worth a share of the lead with defending champion Nick Taylor (69), Kevin Roy (69), S.H. Kim (68) and Adrien Dumont de Chassart (67) on nine-under.
"I think these conditions are kind of bringing it out in me a little bit because you have to be creative,” Riley said.
“It’s not like you’re trying to make perfect golf swings every time. There is definitely some feel and creativity.”
Maverick McNealy (66), Takumi Kanaya (66), England’s John Parry (68) and Chris Gotterup (69) were just a shot off the lead with Jordan Spieth back in 28th on four under after a 68.
"It was so hard this morning,” Spieth said. “I hit a seven-iron into that 15th hole. I had maybe 158 hole and I think it went 120 yards and I played it like 175.
“So, it was just very challenging at times. And on the greens, it just becomes really hard to make putts when it’s that windy.”
Power was tied with 62-year-old Hall of Famer Singh, who shot 70 to make just his second cut since 2021.
The former Masters and two-time PGA champion is using a one-time career money exemption to play full time in full-field events this year for the first time since 2017.
While Hideki Matsuyama chipped for birdie at the eighth and also birdied his final hole, the ninth, to make the cut on the number, Collin Morikawa and Keegan Bradley missed the cut by a shot with Tony Finau well back on six over.
