Power rallies after wobble but trails by six in Mississippi

Seamus Power

West Waterford’s Seamus Power recovered from a mid-round wobble but now finds himself six shots behind pace-setter Ryan Armour with a round to play in the Sanderson Farms Championship in chilly Mississippi.

The 30-year old is tied for third on nine-under-par with Scott Strohmeyer (68), Beau Hossler (69), Ben Silverman (69) and Vaughn Taylor (71) after carding a one-under 71 at the Country Club of Jackson.

Armour came home in 31 for a joint-best-of-the-day 67 and a five-shot lead over Chesson Hadley on 15-under-par. But while Power is a shot further back, he can still exert some final round pressure.

The Waterford man's rookie season, which saw him forced to regain his card by claiming the last of 25 spots via the Web.com Tour Playoffs, was marked by some indifferent weekend play when in contention.

But while he hit just three of 14 fairways in Saturday's third round having completed the final two holes of his delayed second round in par figures for a 68, he will be pleased that he battled back well after following birdies at his first two holes with bogeys at the seventh, eighth and 10th.

His revival started at the par-five 11th, where he drove into the right rough but found the green from nearly 250 yards and avoided a three-putt par by knocking in a ten footer for his four.

Another birdie four at the 14th, where he missed the centre of the fairway by 30 yards before eventually making a 16 footer, got him into the red for the day.

He then made a seven-footer for another birdie at the driveable 15th to briefly share second spot before a pulled drive at the 17th led to a late bogey.

Armour made three birdies and three bogeys on the front nine but birdied the 10th and then made four birdies in a row from the 13th to extend his one-stroke halfway lead to five over Hadley, who shot a 68.

"It was cold," Armour said. "I mean, when we got here it was cold this morning. Once you got moving, as long as you can keep blowing on your hands, everything is all right.

"If you have to stand still and the wind hits you and the sun goes behind the clouds it can cut right through you."

As for his lead and his hot finish, Armour added: "Oh, I'm ecstatic. There was a tough stretch in the middle of the front nine there where in missed three 16 footers in a row.

"Hole locations were hard and tough to read. Kind of caught fire on the back nine there and made five birdies. I'm ecstatic."

Power shares third place with  Scott Strohmeyer (68), Beau Hossler (69), Ben Silverman (69) and Vaughn Taylor (71).

from News - Irish Golf Desk http://ift.tt/2loMp9C