Seamus Power won his first ever PGA Tour event after a dramatic six-hole playoff against JT Poston at the Barbasol Championship on Sunday.
On the sixth hole of the playoff - the fourth time they had played the 18th - Poston's tee-shot rolled into the water. Just moments earlier, Power had hit a perfect shot straight down the fairway. It was advantage to the 34-year-old Waterford man.
Poston bogeyed the hole, leaving Power with two shots to win. He made the second for victory.
Seamus Power wins first PGA Tour event
Six playoff holes later, @Power4Seamus is a winner @BarbasolChamp. pic.twitter.com/dv0M8CuyFU
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 19, 2021
Power, who went into the final round three shots off the lead, made the playoff after birdieing the 72nd hole of the tournament.
"No, honestly, I didn't. I'm not a big leaderboard watcher," he said after victory when asked if he knew how important the putt could be at the time.
On the first playoff hole, Power's shot to the green landed just off the verge, while Poston was positioned perfectly for a birdie putt. Remarkably, Power chipped in to put the pressure on his opponent, but Poston nailed the 10-foot putt.
First playoff hole ...
Tournament on the line ...@Power4Seamus is CLUTCH. pic.twitter.com/MYayPEH14K— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 18, 2021
There was further drama. Power's tee-shot on the second playoff hole landed awkwardly in the rough, and on a slope. However, he hit a magnificent shot to the green to recover. On the fifth playoff hole, Poston had a long putt for victory which came agonisingly close to dropping in.
The win, which was on his 106th tour start, earns Power the $630,000 first prize. It also secures his PGA Tour card, gets him into the Players Championship, the PGA Championship, the Tournament of Champions and the FedEx Cup playoffs.
"I didn't even know half of the stuff you just said there," said Power when told about the victory's significance.
"It's been a bit of a struggle early this season. I have found a bit of form recently.
"This changes everything for me. Forever, now, I'll be able to say that I was a winner on the PGA Tour. It's not going to sink yet. I couldn't be more proud."
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