Seamus Power: 'It wasn't anything too crazy, it just wasn't quite at my best today'

Power is coming off a long period of injury troubles but is now feeling like he’s getting back to his best. Rust was not the issue on Thursday.

Fri, 05 Sep, 2025 - 06:17

PJ Browne

Alex Maguire was unable to finish the final hole of his first round at the Irish Open due to fading light. The Laytown and Bettystown man’s tee-shot landed in the middle of the fairway on the ninth at the K Club. It is from there he will continue on Friday.

Maguire looked like he was in line to be the leading Irishman for the first round. However, his tee-shot on the seventh landed in the water. He carded a double bogey to put him two-under, the score on which he finished the day.

Maguire had a superb front nine featuring four birdies with a bogey sandwiched between. On a day delayed by heavy downpours, he shot two more birdies and a bogey on his back nine.

After being three-under through 10 holes, Seamus Power was understandably disappointed to finish level par for his opening round.

The Waterford man subsequently carded two bogeys and a double bogey. That double came on the 17th after he landed in the water, leaving him one-over.

As the sun set over the 18th, and the bars began to get rowdier, Power did hole a birdie putt, bringing him back to level par, six shots off the clubhouse lead.

“It was kind of a weird round,” said Power.

“It wasn't playing overly great, it was putting nicely and then made some poor mistakes in some kind of pretty good spots there on the back.

“It wasn't easy out there either. We were getting those showers coming through, it was breezy and the conditions obviously aren't great under foot out there.

“On 11, I hit it a little heavy and came up out of 50-60 feet short and three-putted. I hit a poor shot at the 17, which was really the killer one. The one on 13 was a little maybe unlucky, but the one on 17 obviously wasn't great. I probably should have got up and in for 5.

"It wasn't anything too crazy, it just wasn't quite at my best today.”

Power is coming off a long period of injury troubles but is now feeling like he’s getting back to his best. Rust was not the issue on Thursday.

“I feel like the putter is back as well, which is kind of a very cool feeling,” he said.

“A couple of better iron shots and even today it could have easily been three or four under. A lot of positives going into Friday.”

A surge of three birdies in five holes on the back nine put Tom McKibbin in a decent position heading into Friday. The Holywood golfer had a disappointing finish, with a bogey on the 18th leaving him one-under.

Pádraig Harrington finished two over for his opening round. The 54-year-old, who won the tournament in 2007, carded 14 pars, three bogeys, and a birdie. It was a day on which Harrington’s putting let him down.

Kilkenny man Mark Power also finished two-over. The 25-year-old’s round was more of a wild ride than that of Harrington. Power, who plays on the HotelPlanner Tour, had a bogey, double bogey, and three birdies on his front nine. That was followed by three more bogeys and a birdie on the back nine.

Robert Moran rescued his round with three birdies in his final five holes to finish level par. Moran qualified for the tournament by finishing fourth, being the highest-placed Irish player at last month’s Irish Challenge at Killeen Castle. He had carded three bogeys on the front nine before his strong finish.

Elsewhere, Conor Purcell finished four-over while Max Kennedy was six-over.