Ultimately, the chase was in vain for Séamus Power in his quest for wins in back-to-back weeks on the PGA Tour. A week after his Bermuda Championship win, a closing round 68 for a total of 18-under-par 266 left the Waterford man having to accept a tied-third place in the Worldwide Technology Championship at Mayakoba, but a finish which saw him jump to number one on the FedEx Cup standings.
Russell Henley was like the hare in a greyhound race who couldn’t be caught, as the American claimed his fourth career win – and first since the 2017 Houston Open – in a brilliant display of front-running with a final round 70 for a winning total of 23-under-par 261, four clear of runner-up Brian Harman.
“I just tried to learn from my past and my screw-ups; all those events I didn’t close on, it hurt. To win is so hard out here and to come down the 18th with a four shot lead was cool,” said Henley, of finally getting back into the winner’s enclosure.
Power went bogey-free in his final round but the putter critically didn’t manage to convert a number of birdie chances that he created in his attempt to play catch-up.
Instead, Power managed just three birdies – on the fourth, fifth and the 13th – in yet another impressive performance tee-to-green as he moved to the top of FedEx Cup of the order of merit points standings for the 2022/’23 wraparound season.
Scottie Scheffler needed a win or solo second to bump Rory McIlroy off the top of the official world rankings, but the Masters champion’s closing 62 saw him finish in that logjam in tied-third. “It’s definitely something I hope to get back to, but it’s not something that’s going to occupy a lot of my thoughts,” insisted Scheffler of that particular duel.
Elsewhere, teenager Tom McKibbin saved his best until last in brilliantly securing his full DP World Tour card for next season in firing a closing 66 for a total of six-under-par 282 in the Rolex Grand Final in Mallorca. It was sufficient to earn him a tied-sixth finish in the tournament but, more importantly, earned him the 10th of 20 full cards awarded to the graduates.
The 19-year-old from Holywood, Co Down, had entered the season-ending event in 15th on the rankings but his magnificent 66 to finish – after earlier rounds of 73-73-70 – lifted him to 10th on the order of merit in a tournament won by England’s Nathan Kimsey, who also topped the final ranking to secure the number one card.
“I’ve just learned that I’m good enough and I can put these good events [together] and shoot some very low scores on some harder courses,” said McKibbin on navigating a way through the Challenge Tour to a place on the DP World Tour. McKibbin had eight top-10s, including a runner-up finish in the Irish Challenge, in a fine season where his consistency gave him a strong card heading into his rookie season on the main circuit.
John Murphy failed to earn his full card – closing with a 75 for 295 – in ultimately finishing 44th on the order of merit. That will give him a very strong Challenge Tour category for next season but he has one more chance to earn his DP World Tour card at this week’s Q-School where other Irish players competing are Paul Dunne, Cormac Sharvin, Jonny Caldwell and Gary Hurley.
On the PGA Champions Tour, 65-year-old Bernhard Langer secured his 44th career win on the seniors’ circuit with a closing 66 for a total of 17-under-par 199 for a six-stroke winning margin over Thonghai Jaidee and Paul Goydos in the Timber Tech Championship in Florida where Pádraig Harrington finished solo fourth.
