Power focuses on positive Palm Beach memories to contend in Cognizant Classic

Séamus Power drew on fond memories of his 2014 Q-School success to move into the mix in the Cognizant Classic at the Palm Beaches last night.

With his focus sharpened at the start of this season after failing to make the top 100 in last year’s FedEx Cup who are fully exempt, the West Waterford man combined great short game skills with excellent putting to fire a four-under 67 at PGA National that catapulted him into the mix.

“Yeah, this place has been funny to me because I actually got through Q-School here back in 2014, and I loved it,” said Power, who had missed the cut in his four previous starts at the venue for the regular PGA Tour stop.

“Slightly different time of year, it plays a little differently, and the grasses feel a little different, and it hasn't been great to me. It's nice to see.”

Power got up and down 10 times out of 11 over the first two days, and that 91 per cent scrambling success rate has proved the difference.

His 67 left him tied for 13th on four under, seven shots behind Austin Smotherman, who added a 69 to his opening 62 to lead by three shots from Taylor Moore on 11 under.

Shane Lowry also shot 67, making rice birdies in his first 13 holes before following bogeys at the 14th and 17th with a closing birdie to share seventh on five under, six shots off the pace.

“Honestly, I'm not actually playing brilliant, but the short game has been excellent," he confessed. “Scrambling, really hanging in there well, making some putts. If I can get something figured out over the weekend…

“But it's a tough golf course. It doesn't let you get comfortable really at any stage, and I think that's unique about this place.”

Power was more than pleased to sit just three shots behind early halfway leader AJ Ewart, who shot 64 to set the pace at seven under.

“It's going to test everyone for the next two and a half days,” said Power, who birdied the first, eighth, 10th, 11th and 13th before salvaging a bogey four at the terrifying 17th despite finding water from the tee.

“But it's nice to be in under par, and two more good rounds over the weekend (are) needed, but obviously it's nice to be in there.”

Power needs to play his way into the big signature events and he believes that pressure and renewed confidence on the greens might be behind his promising early-season results.

“I know I'm not going to have all the stars this year, so maybe just being a little bit more focused on the ones I do have, and maybe that's part of it,” said Power, who has made all three cuts, contending for the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines before finishing 11th behind Justin Rose in an event where he had never made the cut.

“It obviously doesn't seem like that, but maybe that's an aspect. But overall, I think I feel like I'm in a very good spot mentally.

"As someone told me the other day, a good attitude is helped a lot by a good short game, and that's the way it's been so far, the last couple of days.

“Been able to hang in there, get some up-and-downs, and just keep it going.”

It was also a great day for rookie Aine Donegan, who followed a bogey-free 68 with a blistering eight-under 63 on her professional debut to take the early halfway lead in the weather-delayed Ford Women's NSW Open in Australia.

The Lahinch star (23) holed out for an eagle three at her opening hole in the second round at Wollongong Golf Club and raced to 10-under through 14 holes before dropping a shot at her 17th.

“It was obviously a dream day,” said the former Curtis Cup star from Ennis, who led the LET event by two shots from Australia’s Sarah Kemp on 11-under with half the field yet to start their second rounds.

“I’m a little bit disappointed to finish my second last hole with a bogey, but I’m looking forward to the weekend and yeah, delighted with the start.”

Anna Foster was joint 11th on three under after rounds of 72 and 67, while Leona Maguire was 19th, five shots behind leader Auston Kim, after carding a four-under 68 in the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore.

In the Investec South African Open at Stellenbosch, Italy’s Francesco Laporta fired a six-under 64 to lead by a shot on 10-under at the halfway mark from England’s Nathan Kimsey.