Séamus Power experienced first hand the capriciousness of the Pinehurst No. 2 golf course, as it fluctuated in presenting both uplifting and deflating instances. During his inaugural round, on the 18th fairway, which was Power’s ninth, an opportunity for an unlikely birdie was set up when the Waterford man, affiliated with the K Club, launched an approach leading to 35 feet off. Following four putts, he marked a double-bogey six to conclude his outward journey, visibly dispirited, he took a deep breath of the muggy air, hoisted his shoulders and moved towards the proximate first tee.
“My comprehension of it is still limited,” expressed Power, who was participating in his third US Open. “My pace was superb…it was largely uphill against the grain but it escalated unexpectedly. It’s unfortunate as there aren’t many putts where you perceive you could take a chance and reckoned that was one. Apparently, it was not.”
A subsequent bogey on hole two – where after teeing off he landed in a bunker and then hit a greenside one – could have stemmed his momentum. However, it didn’t.
The golfer demonstrated marvellous resilience in response to these challenges, scoring three consecutive birdies from the third to the fifth hole – a rare triple – helping him regain his lost footing and ultimately registered a one-over-par 71.
“Simon [Keelan, his caddie] and I settled on a somewhat more assertive strategy off the third tee aiming to advance further upwards. Given the pin’s location, there was at least a probability of success. Ironically, I moved it, hit close and secured a splendid birdie next, followed by an ‘up and down’ on the par five [fifth]. That was a much-needed encouraging streak,” he said.
“To recover to a plus-one, one gets the sensation of retaining the competitive edge. Therefore, it was a successful effort to persevere,” claimed Power, who intended to refine certain aspects to polish his game. “It’s a course where a continuous struggle is vital to maintain your stand because, should it slip away, recovery can be exceptionally challenging. It feels wonderful to remain in the competition.”