SEAMUS POWER HAS matched his career high ranking of 40th in the world after his top 10 finish in the PGA Championship, the second Major of the year.
Power finished with a two-over 72 in yesterday’s final round at Southern Hills in Oklahoma. That left him one-under for the tournament and four shots behind the pair that contested the play-off in Justin Thomas, the eventual winner, and Will Zalatoris.
The result has confirmed that Power will feature in the remaining two Majors of the year, the US Open at Brookline from 16-19 June and The Open at St Andrews in Scotland on 14-17 July. The result in only his second ever Major appearance has lifted Power to 40th in the latest Official World Golf Rankings, matching his ranking after the Masters in Augusta. It represents a jump from the status of 72nd at the end of 2021 and from 342nd this time last year.
Power’s current ranking means he is exempt for the upcoming Majors with the top 50 guaranteed places at The Open and the top 60 securing spots at the US Open.
Mito Pereira, the long time final round leader yesterday, was amongst the biggest jumpers in the rankings as he went from 100th to 49th to ensure he will play at the remaining 2022 Major events as well.
Shane Lowry goes up one place to 26th in the world after he finished in a tie for 23rd while Rory McIlroy is down one to 8th. The new PGA champion Justin Thomas moves up four places to fifth in the world.
Power had began the day three-under after Saturday’s third round of 67 but was unable to build on it with an early setback of a double bogey on the 2nd. After that the Waterford native’s form was extremely solid as he recorded 15 pars overall and recorded just one further dropped shot. He finished in a tie for 9th alongside Brandon Steele, Tom Hoge and Abraham Ancer.
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How’s Ian nagle getting on in Newcastle and is Tony Buckley still playing for sale, anyone no?
Hi Eamonn, Nagle hasn’t played for Newcastle’s senior team since joining. Not sure if he is carrying an injury, but there is some strong competition at lock there. Buckley is struggling to get into the Sale squad this season when fit, has played only four times off the bench in the Premiership, as well as a handful of appearances in the Amlin CC and LV= Cup.
Yeah hes injured.
Murray any chance you can start doing a roundup of ‘foreign Irish project players playing in Ireland’, it’s getting more and more difficult to keep up with them. Maybe you could include a countdown as to when their eligible.
Bring back Gareth Steenson to Connacht.He could really do a job for them and add cover for the World Cup squad.
What about Danny Barnes? How’s he getting on?
Charlie Mulchrone has signed for Worcester for next season.
Nice one Rory. I have added that into the piece now.
Why has Gareth Steenson not been called up to the Irish squad? He is far better than paddy Jackson and seems to be our second best 10 from a poor pool. He is also in the mould of ROG which would be a great asset off the bench to close out a game (I’m thinking of you NZ).
Steenson is a rubbish defender
“Matt Jarvis, the Irish-qualified former Connacht player, was at out-half for Nottingham, from where he kicked three penalties and three conversions. The 23-year-old spent two seasons with the western province, having previously represented Wales at U20 level.”
Wales’s second team is their U20s, meaning that because Matt Jarvis has played for them, he is not Irish qualified. Which is part of the reason why he didn’t stay in Connacht.
Was there not an appeal to the IRB about that which IRFU won?
Hi BallHandling, my understanding is that the IRB cleared Jarvis to play for Ireland following an appeal by the IRFU. Part of the issue was that he played for Wales U20 without having been informed that it could tie him down to them in the long-term.
Furthermore, his cap for Wales U20 came against France, who fielded an ‘A’ team in the Churchill Cup later that year. That meant that the U20 fixture hadn’t taken place between two sides who were designated as being their country’s second national team.
I may have that wrong, but that is my reasoning for tagging him as “Irish-qualified”, as you have quoted from the piece above.
You’re spot on Murray. …
I think you are correct Murray! Read that before a whole back.