Seamus Power Chasing Distance and PGA Tour Status Amidst Valspar Hopes

Irish golfer Seamus Power is maintaining a positive outlook at the Valspar Championship this weekend, as he strives for strong results to secure additional playing opportunities and regain his full PGA Tour status. The West Waterford native faces uncertainty regarding his entry into the upcoming Texas Children's Houston Open and the Valero Texas Open, making a strong performance crucial.

With major events like the Masters and three Signature Events on the horizon before the PGA Championship, Power recognizes that consistent starts might be scarce until late May. However, he sees encouraging signs in his game. After carding a three-under 68 on Friday, placing him tied for 27th at two-under-par and seven shots behind leader Sungjae Im at Copperhead Resort, he is targeting a robust weekend on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

“This is one place I do like,” Power commented, reflecting on his history at the course. He finished tied for eighth last year and, two years prior, saw a strong performance unravel with a final-round 76, dropping him from second to 26th. He hopes to avoid a similar fate and “complete the job” this weekend, aiming for strong rounds on Saturday and Sunday.

Power noted that the Florida swing hasn't historically been his strongest, preferring to play his best golf in the summer and fall. Despite this, he's pleased to have played more events than anticipated this year. “What's this? Event number seven for the year? That's a couple more than I was expecting,” he said. “So it's nice to get even a few points on the board and feel like I'm really working towards a lot of good stuff.”

With only the top 100 exempt for next year, Power is eager to capitalize on any chance to earn valuable FedExCup points. He's set to tee off with teenager Blades Brown today, understanding that a significant weekend performance is essential to earn his spot in the Texas events; otherwise, he faces a return to Las Vegas for practice. He even joked, "I thought I would be in next week and I actually booked a hotel too, like an idiot. So I think top 10 here is probably my best chance to get in." He added that a good showing at Valspar would be instrumental, as points for non-elevated events become scarce between the Masters and the PGA Championship.

Power, at 39, observes the impressive power of younger players like 18-year-old Blades Brown, who shot a 60 in January. Driving distance has been a challenge for Power, especially after injuries over the past two years, but he’s confident he can reclaim lost yards. "Short game has been much, much better," Power stated. "Long game is okay. It's good in spots. And then there are a couple of loose ones every day, which are just costing me and holding me back a little bit."

He described the frustrating proximity of his game: “But it's close. That's the frustrating part of golf, where it's very, very close and you're just waiting for it to happen. But it's not quite happening, that kind of thing.” Despite this, he remains excited and optimistic about his progress, hoping to execute effectively from the start this weekend.

Witnessing the effortless power of younger pros, like Rasmus Hojgaard, has been an eye-opener. “They certainly move it,” Power remarked. “Like I was playing with Rasmus [Hojgaard] the first two days, who isn't even as young as some of them. But Rasmus can move it off the tee. It's unbelievable, and it's pretty effortless.” He acknowledged going "the other way" due to injuries but sees non-playing weeks as a valuable opportunity to regain speed and distance. “Playing with Rasmus and a couple of guys the last few weeks, you're like, man, the extra 15 yards in the air goes a long way. So yeah, it's a big part of the game now… it's a huge advantage.” Power is determined to close that gap in the coming weeks.

In other golf news, Leona Maguire and Lauren Walsh both missed the cut at the LPGA's Fortinet Founders Cup in California, shooting 74 and 76 respectively. Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim leads that event at 11-under. Meanwhile, at the LET’s Australian WPGA Championship, home favorite Hannah Green holds a two-shot lead going into the final round, chasing her third consecutive win. Aine Donegan is tied for 34th, and Annabel Wilson is joint 55th. On the men's side, Jorge Campillo and Jordan Gumberg share the lead at 17-under heading into the final round of the Hainan Classic, with Campillo looking to add to his three DP World Tour victories.