Lots of positives for Lowry and Power after season-opening efforts
Seamus Power and Shane Lowry didn't get the results they wanted, but they return to action this week knowing their games are right where they need them to be to get back in the winner’s circle in 2026.
While Lowry was disconsolate after making a 72nd-hole double bogey that opened the door for Nacho Elvira in the Dubai Invitational, he looks to have the game to end his three-year victory wait sooner rather than later as he remains in Dubai for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
Desperate for a win that would secure his tenuous PGA Tour status, Power tied for 31st behind Chris Gotterup in the Sony Open in Hawaii, and while he had some struggles on the greens in Saturday’s high winds, he heads to The American Express at La Quinta on a high after closing with a six-under 64 last night.
Just as in the opening round, the West Waterford man was brilliant on the greens at a breezy Waialae Country Club.
He made seven birdies and ran in 121-feet of putts to finish on six under.
He also ended the week ranked fourth for footage holed and eighth for his approach play, which only bodes well for this week’s likely birdie-fest in California, where world number one Scottie Scheffler returns to action.
The title in Hawaii went to Gotterup, who was third behind Scheffler in The Open at Royal Portrush last year.
Like Power, he closed with a six-under 64 to claim a two-shot victory and win for the third season in a row to move past Lowry from 28th to 17th in the world.
Gotterup took advantage of a collapse by 54-hole leader Davis Riley, who shot 71 to tie for sixth, and won by two shots on 16 under par from Ryan Gerard.
“I just felt like this week I was in a good frame of mind, just happy to be here,” Gotterup said. “I felt like I was in control of my brain, which is the most important thing. I drove it great and made some putts when it mattered.”
Gotterup won the Genesis Scottish Open last year by outplaying Rory McIlroy, and won the opposite-field ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic in his rookie season.
As for Lowry, he's still winless as an individual since holding off McIlroy and Jon Rahm to win the 2022 BMW PGA.
But he insisted at Dubai Creek that he must dust himself off and regroup for this week’s Dubai Desert Classic.
“That was a disaster - that's what that was,” said Lowry, who put a nine iron in a bunker at the last before finding the creek with his third en route to a closing six that opened the door for Elvira and left him tied for third with McIlroy, who bogeyed the last.
“What can you do? You have to just learn from it and move on, lads.
“This game is nuts. I've just started my 18th season on tour, and I'll never figure it out. I tried my best, did everything I could and hit the wrong club up the last. And that cost me a play-off.
“I was just trying to hit a soft nine. If you hit a wedge at the flag and it comes out a little soft, it goes right into the water.
“In hindsight, I probably would have been better off doing that because you get it up and down from there. But the bunker shot was shocking - it's not good enough.”
He added, “I should be winning that, but I didn't, and this is going to hurt for a day or two. I haven't won in a few years. It's hard to get over the line.
“I know this is not the biggest tournament in the world. But you've still got to beat Rory McIlroy down the stretch. I did that. I just gave it to Nacho at the end.
“It's a bit of a disaster, and I'll lick my wounds and move on and get going for next week.”
