Power seeks Bermuda win and card security in Ryder Cup year
TULSA, OK - MAY 22: Seamus Power of Ireland hits his shot from a bunker on the sixth hole during the final round of the 2022 PGA Championship at the Southern Hills on May 22, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Montana Pritchard/PGA of America)
Séamus Power dreams of Majors and the Ryder Cup but he admits keeping his card is his number one priority as he seeks his second PGA Tour win in the $6.5 million Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
The world number 48 is the only player from the world’s top 50 in action at Port Royal and one of the betting favourites for a win that would secure his card until the end of 2025 and spots in the Masters and the PGA Championship.
“They're obviously all goals, but the goal first and foremost is going to be the FedExCup,” said Power, who hopes to talk to Ryder Cup skipper Luke Donald about his potential Ryder Cup schedule.
“Like I love what I do, but it is your job at the end of the day, so that's the first thing you want to make sure you keep.”
He made the world’s top 50 through PGA Tour consistency and has no plans to change that routine, even though he may get called up by Donald for January’s Hero Cup match between Europe and GB&I in Abu Dhabi.
“Obviously having the Ryder Cup this year, which every European dreams of that, that's always going to be something in the back of your mind, too,” added Power, who is hoping to see some improved iron play this week.
“Again, if you play well, I feel like it will take care of itself. But what an honour that would be and that's always going to be a goal. The majors, it would be amazing to be back there, but first and foremost will be FedExCup and making sure you hold onto your job.”
Power loves Bermuda and with three top-30 finishes in three starts, including a tie for 12th last year. He also fondly remembers spending a few weeks there in 2020 as he sorted out his visa issues during the COVID19 pandemic.
“Yeah, I've played it every year,” he said. “I really, really enjoy the place. I didn't know much about the island before I came here the first time, but I've enjoyed my experience every time.
“It's unique, even something as small as the ferry coming across to the course, I find like it's different and it's a beautiful place. And I made some friends here over the years now too, so it's a stop I really look forward to all year.”
He’s one of the bookies’ favourites this week and he’ll be gunning for a second PGA Tour win that would take all the pressure off him in terms of his card as he looks to secure starts in all the Majors again this year and the chance to contend for a Ryder Cup place.
eamus Power plays a shot on the 11th hole during the first round at the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. on Thursday, June 16, 2022. (Kathryn Riley/USGA)
While he missed the cut in The Open after playing with eventual winner Cam Smith for the first two days, he gained confidence from the Majors last year.
“It's hard to describe, it's just a different feel around the tournaments. But one of the things I took from it which is very encouraging is my game held up very, very well. Like I played very well at Augusta, didn't quite get the putts, but then played well at the U.S. Open and the PGA. Actually struggled a little bit at The Open. But it was nice to see in tough conditions under like the biggest scrutiny, whatever, the biggest microscope, my game holding up well.
“But as you said, yeah, you're dying -- it makes you really excited to try to get back in there. It's just an extra level of interest, an extra level of kind of buzz around the course. It's just different and it was very, very special and, as you said, makes you want to get back there.
As for setting a schedule that could lead to Ro me, he said: “Paul McGinley messaged me last week and I'll probably give Padraig (Harrington) a shout as well, having been Ryder Cup captain.
“Those guys have a lot of good input so I imagine the schedule will have some tweaks here and there, but at least for the immediate future I'm just going to stick with what I'm doing.”
He added: “I haven't got too far to the spring yet because we were waiting for the announcements with the kind of change of events last week, so that's -- but I haven't had a chance to sit down and look at them. But I'm going to play here, I'll go to Mayakoba next week and more than likely Sea Island, and then I'm going to wait and see in the spring.
“Now that the elevated events have been kind of announced and decided, that will kind of change it a little bit. Luckily for me, most of the courses are where I would have played anyway, so I don't think it's going to change the schedule much. But I know that event like GB&I versus Europe event was kind of announced for January, so I've got to kind of see where things I have to fit in. I haven't looked at it too much yet, but some of it I'll do as soon as I get a chance here the next couple weeks.”
On the DP World Tour, Cormac Sharvin and Jonathan Caldwell need to win the Portugal Masters to avoid a trip to Q-School next month.
Caldwell is 195th and Sharvin 236th in the DP World Tour rankings with only the top 117 granted full playing privileges next season.
Like Paul Dunne and Challenge Tour Grand Final qualifiers John Murphy and Tom McKibbin, Caldwell is exempt into the Final Stage while Sharvin must join another 11 Irish players including Niall Kearney and Gavin Moynihan, at the Second Stage in Spain next week.
