The wayward drive on the fourth hole of his second round provided a microcosm of Séamus Power’s fate. The ball was pulled viciously left, so far indeed that it sailed merrily over the temporary fencing down that side of the hole and it took a search party of anonymous caterers servicing the hospitality area to locate the ball so that he could avail of a free drop.
Finding the ball was, perhaps, the only element of luck he got all day. Power added a second round 74 to his opening 75 to submit a midway total of nine-over-par 149 that had him departing this 105th edition of the US PGA Championship far too soon, a missed cut on his latest Major venture.
The thing with Power is that there is no throwing toys out of the pram, no displays of angst. If the expression “it is what it is” wasn’t already invented, you feel it would have been coined for him such is his calmness and sense of perspective.
Having recorded a top-10 on his debut in the championship in Tulsa a year ago, Power’s early departure – “I just find it a very hard course,” he said, “the fairways are tough to hit, a lot of them are like sloping away the wrong way ... it is tough” – didn’t infer any serious issues with his game and, indeed, he will have a week and a bit off before he goes again in the Memorial tournament ahead of another crack at a Major, in the US Open.
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Power was on the back foot going into the second round and was guilty perhaps of chasing things, which saw errors penalised. There were little things. Like bogeying the par-five fourth hole on both days. Like playing the drivable par-four 14th in two over. Like only having four birdies in two rounds.
“I played okay on a golf course you have to play pretty well. So, that’s really about it. The game wasn’t very far away,” he said.
Power heads into the rest of the season in a position of strength and with lots to aim for. Currently 12th in the FedEx Cup standings (projected to drop to 14th after the PGA having missed the cut), the goal is to be inside the top-30 to make the Tour Championship.
“I am in a very good spot, still work to be done. I am very pleased with my game which is the most important thing obviously. Even compared to the last time I felt like I was sort of hanging on and this time I feel like I can go on a really good run of golf,” said the Waterford man.
And, of course, there are two remaining Majors – the US Open and the Open – yet to play.
Down the line, there is the matter of a Ryder Cup in Rome, although that is not something that is occupying his mind all the time.
“I feel like I’m in a position where I can’t control it,” he said of qualifying for Luke Donald’s team, adding: “I guess if you win one of these things or have a couple of high finishes in the Majors you can. But with me playing in the States, it’s going be difficult to get one of the automatic spots. And I don’t want to set a goal where I’m going to be reliant on someone else picking me. It’s a huge thing that you want to make.
“But I feel if I can take care of my individual goals, like Tour Championship, and also I’m hoping to get another win and stuff like that, I think it will take care of it rather than be focusing on it.
“Ah look, it’s a dream to play it, but it’s not something that’s consuming me all the time which is good. When I’m in practice during the week, I dream of hitting a putt or a tee shot there. But it hasn’t snuck out with me on to the course.”
