Seamus Power returns to the Amgen Irish Open tomorrow having missed last year's event through injury.
The West Waterford golfer finished just outside the Top 50 in the FedEx Cup finals on the PGA Tour as he returned to full fitness after his hip injury.
Power says that playing in the Irish Open is a very special occasion for him.
"For us, it's just not another tournament, you know - like during the season for me, if I'm playing in whatever name, whatever town across the US, most of them don't mean a whole lot to me. It's just your job and you're trying to play well and get points in this - whereas this one, the people you care about in your life, they're going to be following and you've got Irish fans and all that stuff. You really want to play well for them, obviously for yourself, but like for them too, so you can get up around contention. Golf is such a popular sport in Ireland and like Irish sports people, Irish people in general are very, very proud. It'd be such a huge honour to get up around the exciting part of the tournament."
"I think that's where the pressure, at least for me, comes from. It's just that internal desire to play well in front of people that you don't really get to play in front of that often. It's one you plan for right of the start of the year."
He says missing last year was difficult - but he is delighted at the prospect of teeing off on Irish soil for the first time since 2022.
"Missing last year was tough, but it's just everything, you know, just seeing familiar faces, hearing people rooting for you all day long. It's different, you know, I obviously play mostly in America and you know, you don't see too many familiar faces and all that stuff. So to be able to have family, friends, all that kind of stuff and obviously the history and tradition of the Irish Open on top of that. Factor in Royal County Down, I mean, it's just something you look forward to all year long."
Seamus says no matter how good you believe your game is, Royal County Down has all the obstacles to test it.
"This is the best year of my ball striking-wise since I've been a pro really. I'm going to need that this week if it blows, I mean, on that left or right breeze going out there on like one, two, three, you better hit some good shots. I feel like even today I was able to hit some good ones. I've always had a good short game, which I think you're going to need because I don't care how well you hit it - it's going to roll off and you're going to get a gust and all those things. You're going to have to get up and down. So I think it's good for me. I haven't played as much links golf as, you know, as I did when I was younger. So I feel like I'm learning, relearning it pretty quickly, but obviously, you know, the truth is going to be told there in the next few days."
Suir Engineering will proudly sponsor WLR's coverage of this year's Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down.
Ray Scott will be on site across the course of the tournament, bringing you all the action as it happens from Irish golf's premier calendar event.
