Seamus Power Patiently Awaits Breakthrough in His Game

Golfer Seamus Power feels he's on the verge of his peak performance, though he anticipates a short break before he can consistently compete in PGA Tour events.

His recent performance at the Valspar Championship in Florida didn't meet expectations. Rounds of 70 and 72 resulted in a tied 30th finish at two-under-par, nine strokes behind champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

Power expressed disappointment, stating, "My game is right there." He won't be participating in this week's Texas Children's Houston Open and will likely need to Monday qualify for the upcoming Valero Texas Open.

He added, "I'm just not quite putting it together. It's frustrating because I'm showing a lot of good play with minimal errors."

His potential Sunday surge was hindered by double bogeys on the second and fourth holes of Innisbrook's challenging Copperhead Course. However, he recovered with three birdies over his final ten holes to finish with a 72.

Reflecting on his play, Power noted, "I made a couple of errors early today. Yesterday, I was one under, but it could have easily been three, four, or five under. And today, I was one over when it could have been two or three under. It's not a 'what if' weekend, but rather a display of decent play that just hasn't fully materialized."

The 39-year-old lost his fully exempt PGA Tour status last season after falling outside the top 100 in the FedExCup standings. Nevertheless, he's demonstrated promising form this year, making six out of seven cuts and contending at the Farmers Insurance Open.

"I'm playing steady and consistent golf," he remarked, "but this week, I just couldn't find that spark, that moment where putts suddenly start dropping."

He continued, "It was a week where those crucial 15-20 foot putts, which can elevate a good round to a great one, just weren't falling. This is also a challenging course where it's difficult to build momentum or make a significant climb, so you're really relying on sinking those key putts, and I just didn't convert enough."

With the Masters on the horizon and three Signature Events slated between it and the PGA Championship, Power recognizes he might need to wait until THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson in mid-May to secure a consistent schedule of tournaments.

He commented on his busy schedule, "It's been a long stretch on the road after four consecutive events. I'll take a few days to relax and reevaluate. I plan to Monday qualify for the Valero next week, as my current standing doesn't guarantee entry. Following that, there's a long series of elevated events. So, unless something significant changes, I anticipate a relatively quiet couple of months. However, I know it will become very hectic from the Byron Nelson tournament onwards. It looks like a very busy period, so we'll prepare accordingly. Even with Brooks Koepka playing, I'm currently the sixth alternate for Houston and possibly fifth for San Antonio, making my entry unlikely unless there are unexpected withdrawals."

Regarding the Valspar Championship, England's Matt Fitzpatrick, 31, clinched the title with a final round 68, featuring crucial birdies including a 30-foot putt on the 15th and a 14-footer on the final hole. Starting three shots behind Sungjae Im, Fitzpatrick's impressive 11-under total earned him his third PGA TOUR victory by a single stroke over David Lipsky, who carded a 70.