Power backs himself and makes Kenya Open move with sensational homeward 30
Mark Power during the 2024 LIV Golf Promotions at the Riyadh Golf Club on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Montana Pritchard/LIV Golf)
Mark Power was proud of himself after he produced a sensational birdie-birdie-eagle finish to move from the cut line to the fringes of contention in the Magical Kenya Open.
The Kilkenny man (25) received a last-gasp invitation on Tuesday, and after arriving at Karen Country Club with little time to prepare, he followed an opening 67 with a five-under 65 to go into the weekend just five shots off the lead.
The two-time Walker Cup star was sitting on the three-under-par cut line after making the turn in level par. But rather than tiptoeing home, he backed himself to make a move.
“I knew I was around the cut mark, but there was no point in just trying to scrape in, so I said, ' Why not take it on?” said Power, who moved up to 16th on eight under after scorching home in 30 strokes.
“Obviously, my preparation hasn't been ideal, but I played brilliantly. I knew I was playing well going into it, so I was delighted to get the opportunity, even though it was very last second.”
He’s now just five shots behind France’s Frederic Lacroix and South Africa’s Jarvis Casey, who shot respective rounds of 62 and 65 to head the field by two strokes.
High on confidence after winning the season-ending Tour Championship on the MENA Tour last year before winning HotelPlanner Tour status via the Qualifying School, he birdied the 12th before finishing 2-3-3.
After ripping a seven iron over the stick and rolling in a 12-footer at the short 16th, he knocked in a six-footer at the 17th and a 12-footer at the last for eagle.
“The ball goes miles out here, it and went about 330 and left me an easy enough wedge to a front pin,” he said of a “knuckled hybrid” at the 17th. “So it was really nice to come up with the goods there.
“The 18th was very reachable in two, to be fair, and I was only hitting an eight iron in, but it's a tricky tee shot because you have to take it over a corner.
“If you overdo it, you're in the jungle, and if you hit it a bit too far right, you can run through.
“But I’d been driving a good all day. So I was confident, and I backed myself, and nailed one around the corner.”
With just 200 yards to go — adjusted to 175 yards because of altitude — he “stood on an eight iron to a back pin” and flew his approach to 12 feet before brushing in the eagle putt.
“I was very proud of how I played coming in because the pressure of a cut line can loom up and be a bit tricky,” Power said.
“So I handled myself very well, and I’m looking forward to the next couple of days now, and hopefully I can keep the foot down.”
If it was a good day for Power in Kenya, it was a mixed bag for the Irish in the HotelPlanner Tour’s Jonsson Workwear Durban Open at Durban Country Club.
Galway’s Liam Nolan fired a five-under 67 to move up to 28th on five under, leaving him eight shots behind Sweden’s Christofer Blomstrand and Spain’s Santiago Tarrio.
West Waterford’s Gary Hurley was a shot outside the cut mark with three holes to go, but birdied the 18th to shoot 71 and make it on the three-under par mark.
But there was no joy for the other three Irishmen in action.
Max Kennedy was also a shot outside the mark through 15 holes, but he finished birdie-bogey to shoot 74 and miss out by a shot.
Liam Grehan also suffered a frustrating finish, making a quadruple bogey at the seventh and bogeys at the eighth and ninth to shoot 75 and miss out by six strokes.
Conor Purcell also has the weekend off after a 77 left him on four-over.
