17/11/2024

History beckons for Seamus Power on Open debut

Miercoles 13 de Julio del 2022

History beckons for Seamus Power on Open debut

The Waterford golfer is looking to surpass impressive first appearances in the Masters, the US PGA and the US Open

The Waterford golfer is looking to surpass impressive first appearances in the Masters, the US PGA and the US Open

Seamus Power is eyeing up a victory "for the ages" in his first Open Championship appearance.

It would be a remarkable fairytale ending if Power, who only last year was 408th in the world rankings, completed an excellent first major season by lifting the Claret Jug late on Sunday afternoon.

Power, 35, has proved he has the game to compete on the biggest stage with tied 27, tied nine and tied 12 finishes in the Masters, US PGA and US Open respectively this year.

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And the Waterford hopeful admits he has no compulsion in aiming for the stars at St Andrews.

"Absolutely," he said. "As a player growing up in Britain and Ireland, it's something you dream of.

"That’s the plan and the goal.

"Obviously, to go and win the 150th Open at St Andrews would be something for the ages.

"It's cool to be a part of. There's amazing history but you're not thinking about it out on the course.

"Always when you play St Andrews it's the whole setting, the R&A Museum and all that stuff, it makes it a little bit extra special."

Power admits he felt a bit fatigued in that third round of the Horizon Irish Open at Mount Juliet a week and a half ago, when his chances of a home victory were blown on a disappointing Saturday.

But he is feeling refreshed having skipped the Scottish Open as he talks about the game of chess that has to be worked out to be successful at the home of golf.

There are 112 bunkers dotted around the most famed 83 acres in the sport and avoiding them as much as possible is Plan A for everyone this week.

Tiger Wood stayed out of them completely on his way to victory in 2005.

"Tiger missed all the bunkers, that’s going to be the goal," stated Power. "Going to be fun trying to figure that out!

"You try to be precise. Some of the balls on the fairways are running so far at holes like number four and number seven.

"Normally you can pick a strategy where you can take a bunker out of play.

"At four, when you carry the mounds it is more likely to run into the cross bunker. At seven, it’s very hard to keep it short of the two bunkers.

"We’ll have a strategy. It’ll definitely be a chess match.

"In practice rounds you seem to find the middle of bunkers but in the tournament you’re coming out backwards.

"There's not a lot of rough so it's just trying to manufacture a way of avoiding bunkers.

"I've heard they can really tuck pins for the Open they may not have used in the St Andrews links, but tee to green the ball is going crazy distances. It's very, very short."

As always, the Road Hole could be the making or breaking of an Open challenger in the coming days.

"The tee shot is very intimidating because there's room on the right but you can't see it standing on the tee," said Power.

"Then the green is a tiny target. If you go to that right side, you have the bunker left and it gets very short on the right, so it's obviously tricky.

"You're probably trying to land something on the front edge, if it clambers up, great, if it comes back down you'll manage.

"It's one of the more dangerous holes out there that you can play slightly more defensive."

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