McDowell and Lowry into top 20 as Power slips back

Seamus Power

Seamus Power crashed from second to 49th with a disappointing 77 but there was good news for Graeme McDowell and Shane Lowry as they moved into the top 20 at the Wells Fargo Championship.

Power went into the second round tied for second place, just a shot behind Francesco Molinari, determined to put some disappointing weekends behind him.

But it turned out to be another tough Saturday for the West Waterford rookie who has now shot over par in six of his ten third rounds on the PGA Tour.

He got off to a terrible start at Eagle Point Golf Club, dropping four shots in his first six holes.

He steadied the ship by playing the next ten holes in one-under-par but bogeyed the last two holes for a five-over 77.

Power had just 27 putts but hit just seven fairways and seven greens in regulation and now shares 49th on even par, eight strokes behind leader Patrick Reed, who shot 67 to lead by two on eight under from Alex Noren (69) and Jon Rahm (69).

McDowell, who is ranked second for putting this week, is just four shots behind Reed in joint 14th after a five-birdie 70.

As for Lowry, who has been out of form for several months, the Clara man holed all 14 putts he faced inside 10 feet.

Having had 34 putts in round one, he had just 25 in round two and only 24 on Saturday.

He birdied four of his first five holes, then mixed three birdies with three bogeys on his back nine to card a 68 that moved him up to tied 19th, just five off the lead on three-under.