Power kicks into gear too late but still secures strong major championship finish 

BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 17: Seamus Power of Ireland reacts to his shot from the 16th tee during the second round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 17, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

As the cliché goes, par is always good in a U.S. Open. Three consecutive even-par rounds wasn’t good enough to win, but for Séamus Power is was good enough for another strong finish in a major championship.

Power found his groove a little too late on Sunday, but a couple of birdies on the back nine earned another three consecutive 70 and left him 1-over par 281 and tied for 12th at The Country Club.

“I was hoping to get into red figures starting today and see what happens on the back nine,” Power said after his T12 followed T27 at the Masters and T9 at the PGA Championship in his first two major starts. “Wasn’t quite meant to be but overall very steady and gives myself confidence. You never know how you’re going to react to situations like a U.S. Open setup. It’s nice to know that you’re able to play it and looking forward to getting back in good position like this the following year.

“Overall didn’t really deserve to be much better than I did during the week, but it would have been nice to at least get into red figures.” Power made birdie on the first to climb to even par and into the top 10, but that’s as close as he got. Bogeys at 3, 9 and 10 dropped him to 2-over and out of the top 20 before making birdies on 12 and 13.

“In typical golf fashion, it’s probably the best I hit it and the worst I putted,” said Power, who lamented makeable birdie chances at 4 through 9 that all got away. “It’s one of those things that happens in golf.

“Little frustrated there because I putted so well. I really didn’t hit it that well the first few days and sort of managed my way around. I actually had a lot of makeable birdie chances today, nothing too close but a lot of middle-distance putts between 10 and 20 feet, and I wasn’t able to capitalize, especially early.

“Makeable chances on 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and didn’t make any. Then I three-putted 9 and that kind of killed my momentum.” After the bogeys at 9 and 10 had him 3-over and barely in the top 25, Power faced a 6-footer for par on the short 11th and had to reset his composure.

“You have to give yourself a little shake; you’re still in the U.S. Open and there’s still eight holes to play,” he said. “There’s a lot a couple of birdies can do. I was able to get two on 12 and 13 and I had some chances after that too and wasn’t quite able to capitalize. Overall a very solid week and something to take along for me in a good stretch.” Power admitted he was more comfortable in this situation at TCC than he was last month at Southern Hills getting his first sniff of Sunday contention.

“It gives me a lot of confidence. … I felt more comfortable today than I did in the PGA and that’s encouraging,” he said. “Hopefully I can get myself back into a similar spot and hopefully some of those putts will drop when you need them.” His first taste of the U.S. Open was a good one and makes him hungry for more opportunities.

“This was totally different and I’ve never seen something like it,” he said. “The crowds are huge and there’s roars coming from every corner of the golf course. There’s no moment you can relax. The second you think you can relax is the moment you’re gonna drop at least one shot. We don’t play many courses like that and you have to stay sharp from the moment you start on Thursday.

“It was very enjoyable week. I loved the course right from the get-go and it was a nice fair test.”