A "Steady Eddie" is the type of guy you can depend on. He may not set the world on fire, but you can rely on him to get the job done with no major fuss.
This past weekend at Augusta National, Seamus Power offered a reliable and steady performance across his first four rounds. The Touraneena man shot three 74's on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with his Friday score of +4 enough to make the cut by one shot.
It was a maiden Masters for the West Waterford man who qualified for the tournament based on his top 50 World ranking in the week prior to the season's first major.
While some of the world's top golfers were struggling to make inroads on the quick greens - Power was busy plugging away in the early goings, putting in a performance that would allow him to play all four days.
Headline names such Bryson DeChambeau, Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka failed to make the cut, while others languished at the bottom of the leaderboard by Sunday evening. Tyrrell Hatton shot a final round of 80 leaving him on +17, one of the world's form golfers in Patrick Cantlay only managed a +7 while former Masters Champion Patrick Reed was +6.
Seamus can come away from Augusta happy with his performance, and with hopes of returning next year.
An automatic invite would have been in the post if he had finished top 12 yesterday, but plenty more chances will arise for him to get that guaranteed return.
Seamus' steady performance from Thursday to Saturday picked up on the home straight. Three previous 74's were improved to a final round of 70, moving him to his final score of +4.
Birdies had been tough to come by with his putter not firing as well as he would have hoped. Some wayward approach shots, which would usually be resolved for a 2 putt were now needing three. A birdie free round on Thursday was bettered on Friday when he marked three sub-par scores. On Saturday when the wind was gusting and swirling, he shot three bogeys (9th, 12th & 15th) but birdied the last to replicate his score from the day previous.
With the real battle waging behind him, Seamus played a much improved final round to go sub-par for the first time. He signed his card for a 70 and ultimately a share of 27th along with Victor Hovland and Jon Rahm.
"I was delighted. It felt like a birdie fest out there for me. I played nicely again. It was similar stuff, I just didn't quite get the putter going. I played the par fives much better - that's the biggest difference, I was three-under for the par fives and it changes your whole outlook on the course."
"It was good. It was fun. This is how you picture it [Augusta] perfect weather, sun shining, really fast greens, and a light breeze making it tricky. It was beautiful out there"
Elsewhere on the Irish front, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry notched their best ever results in Georgia.
If Seamus was "Steady Eddie" for his weekend, McIlroy became Eddie the Eagle for his final round.
While Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Smith were fighting over the lead, Rory was not so quietly inching up the leaderboard. A bogey-free round saw him drain six birdies and one eagle. His eagle three on the par 5 13th was a near piece of art that sent the gathered patrons into overdrive at the thought of what might be.
The Holywood man wasn't finished on 13 though. Stranding deep in a bunker off the 18th green after a misplaced second shot, the four-time major champion lofted to the green with his shot tracking to the cup every inch of the way. Those who were around the green went bananas, with McIlroy the ring leader who looked like he was once again battling Patrick Reed at the Ryder Cup - club thrown into the sand, eyes wide and deliriously soaking in the adulation.
It was made even better when his playing partner Colin Morikawa finished his weekend in a similar fashion. McIlroy celebrated the US Open Champion shot much the same as he'd celebrated his own.
Photo Credit Masters Images
The 2019 Open Champion Lowry ended up sharing third with Cam Smith - the Australians tilt at the title falling short around Amen Corner as he sent it to the drink. The Offaly native Lowry shot the lights out on Friday with a 68, following up with 73 and 69 on Saturday and Sunday.
Photo Credit Masters Images
With all said and done, two Irish players claimed second and third, with Power further back in a share of 27th. Seamus has also moved to 40th in the world rankings, improving one place.
The first major of 2022 is now in the bag. The traveling circus will now up sticks and make their way to Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa Oklahoma for the PGA Championship next month, but before he left Augusta National, West Waterford's Power was excited to make a return next year.
"Oh absolutely yeah. It's been an incredible week, I've really enjoyed everything and hopefully I'll be lucky enough to come back"
