Hopes for Valspar Championships dwindle for Séamus Power

Before Séamus Power was able to reach the areas known as the “Snakepit” on Copperhead’s golf course, which are notorious for challenging ambitious players in the Valspar Championship, he had already encountered trouble. Despite starting the final round in a promising position, second place and trailing leader Keith Mitchell by just two shots, his hopes for a third PGA Tour victory diminished over time. A poor start followed by a double-bogey five on the hazardous 13th hole, where his shot ended up in the water, effectively quashed his chances. He ended his round five-over, eventually finishing with a disappointing 76 for 281 in tied-25th place.

In contrast, Peter Malnati, a member of the PGA Tour’s policy board, finished in first place, nine strokes ahead of Power. This marked Malnati’s second tour victory, with the first dating back to the Sanderson Farms event in 2015. A string of three birdies from the 10th to 12th hole and a strong lead on the 17th sparked a triumphant win for Malnati, his first in nearly a decade and more than 250 events. The 36-year-old American’s emotional victory came with a final score of 67, totalling 12-under-par 272, and celebrated alongside his family. “It is just unbelievable… you wonder if you will ever win again, and it is tough,” he said.

Cameron Young, who finished two strokes behind Malnati, had yet another near miss on his search for his first tour win. This marked his seventh second-place finish. Despite this, Young expressed satisfaction with his performance, particularly on the challenging back par-3s. He felt that he had managed to stay mentally strong, deeming it a valuable victory regardless of the final outcome.

At the LPGA Tour’s Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship held in Palos Verdes, California, Leona Maguire concluded the tournament with an impressive final round total of four-under-par 280, despite starting with high hopes of securing the title. Regrettably, this placed her in a tie for 13th place, five strokes adrift of the ultimate victors Nelly Korda and Ryann O’Toole, who engaged in a playoff.

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