The upward trend is more than just a tick for Séamus Power’s further rise – to the top 89th place in the world rankings and up to 36th place in the updated FedEx Cup standings of the PGA Tour – and provides further evidence that it is Waterford player’s game successful was taken to a new level.
With the certainty of a two-year exception after his breakthrough victory in the Barbasol Championship in July, Powers strong start to the wraparound season 2021 / ’22 – 21st, 12th and 11th in his last three starts – has proven the importance of comfort is blanket of a secure tour map can mean.
Power says: “The game is in a good position. It’s nice to have two decent placements in a row, it’s encouraging. ”
He’s continuing his schedule for the end of the year at the Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course this week, where Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell are also in the field looking to bounce back from missed cuts in Mexico.
For Power, given his strong form, there is an incentive to add a second Tour win to this summer success in Barbasol. The upward trend in the world rankings also has the potential to bring another factor into play, namely to be in the top 50 in the world by the end of the year in order to secure a first invitation to the Masters in Augusta National.
Power’s rise in the world rankings up to 2021 was impressive and started the year in 429th place. The win at Barbasol was the big move he needed (jump from 210th to 113th) and he made it into the top for the first time -100 in the world (to exactly 100.)
His tied 11th place at the World Wide Technology Championship in Mayakoba, won so impressively by Viktor Hovland, then brought him to 89th place at the Houston Open and the RSM Classic (the last tournament of the year) next week on his Time schedule.
Leaderboards
Lowry, meanwhile, will try to show improved form in Houston before flying back to the European Tour final, the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai next week.
This Tour Championship will be limited to the top 50 available players on the Race to Dubai rankings following this week’s penultimate event, the Aviv Dubai Championship, which will be held on the Fire Course in the Emirates. The Tour Championship will be held on its sister course, Earth.
As of now, Lowry and Rory McIlroy are the only Irish players sure to play in the Megabucks season finals, although Pádraig Harrington and Jonathan Caldwell – both playing in the Dubai Championship this week – visit the last chance saloon in their respective bids . Stop the party.
Harrington’s good performance in Portugal – a tied 12th place – led him to move up from 68th to 58th in the updated Race to Dubai rankings. “I think I have to get around 51” [to get in]“, The Dubliner admitted.
Still, the performance in Portugal was what he called “a positive week” in terms of his performance on the pitch.
“I’ve shown some good signs. I definitely hit the ball better in training; I won’t bring that to the course. But there were some good signs. Sometimes it was good. I definitely putted well. My wedge game could be a bit stronger, but it’s reasonably positive. But there is definitely room for improvement. ”
On the line
Stephanie Meadow has her own numbers to crack as she plays the LPGA Tour at the Pelican Championship in Belleair, Fla. And her full tour ticket is at stake for next season.
Although the Northern Irish woman was given the security of a sponsor invitation if required, she stepped onto her own status for the last regular event of the LPGA Tour season. Meadow is 101st on the LPGA Tour leaderboard and must move up to the top 100 after this week’s tournament to keep her full tour card.
But Meadow is back on a happy spot: Here she achieved her best result of the season last year, a third place with equal points.
Leona Maguire is also in the field, but with a different dynamic in the game. She is currently 16th in the CME Globe order of merit, so she is sure to have a spot in next week’s Limited Field Tour championship, but she wants to improve the rankings ahead of this tournament finale.