Quail Hollow Diary: Familiar fairways fit the eye for Seamus Power
POWER DRIVE: Seamus Power prepares for a shot on the 12th hole prior to the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club. Pic:Alex Slitz/Getty Images.
Seamus Power isn’t about to renounce his Déise citizenship any time soon but you could call the PGA Championship a home-away-from-homecoming.
The Waterford pro was a late addition to the field just last week when others’ failures did him a favour and an unlikely invite to the year’s second Major was extended.
It was gladly accepted because Quail Hollow is a familiar and friendly haunt for the 38-year-old world No.126. When he moved permanently to the US in 2010, Charlotte was his first base. He’d stay for a decade.
“I do [feel comfortable] here. I lived here,” said Power, who now calls Las Vegas home.
“The course just fits my eye and like it. It's a tough test but I always enjoy playing here. So hopefully some good things this week.”
In seven visits, Power has made the cut here six times. The PGA also counts as his best Major performance to date, a tie for 7th in 2022. After six missed cuts out of 12 this year, a strong showing here would be welcome.
“It's been frustrating and up and down, but it feels like it's heading in the right direction overall, which is a nice feeling,” Power said.
“Back to a place where I've played well before, so hopefully good things happen.”
After Monday was entirely washed out, Tuesday began much brighter and bubblier as crowds poured in to watch practice.
Both Power and Tom McKibbin got a feel for the back nine early while Shane Lowry, Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy got in some range work.
Around 1pm things took another wild turn however when a violent electrical storm swept in and forced play to be suspended with greens and fairways inundated.
‘Seek safe shelter or exit!’ the punters were warned. The bad news? The forecast for Wednesday and Thursday is equally erratic.
The world’s press are hosted in a giant tented dome near the clubhouse here.
It is, mercifully, air-conditioned and features a huge 25-foot video board with updates on where any player is at any moment. Ludvig Aberg: Putting Green; Tommy Fleetwood: Hole 6; Sepp Straka: Range.
On Tuesday morning it flashed up a blast from the past which briefly scrambled the mind. Tucked directly underneath McIlroy’s name was ‘Hoey: Putting Green’. Had Michael Hoey come out of retirement for a tilt at a maiden Stateside win?
No. It was Rico Hoey of the Philippines. The surname, a genealogy website informed us, has both Irish and Chinese origins.
Michael, who became a referee in 2022, only had one taste of a PGA Championship. It was bitter. In 2012 at Kiawah Island, he was disqualified for a scorecard error. His namesake will hope for more luck.
How bad did the weather get? Afternoon press conferences for defending champion Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau were swiftly moved to Zoom-only rather than risk having the media walk 250m and the players 20m to the dedicated Player Interview Area (yes, another tent).
True to form, the PGA have stacked the stars in their featured groups with Rory McIlroy paired with Scottie Scheffler and defending champ Xander Schauffele for the opening two days.
The World No.1, 2 and 3 will tee off at 1.22pm Thursday and 6.47pm Friday, Irish time.
Shane Lowry is paired with Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler for a 12.38pm start Thursday and 6.03pm Friday.
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