Heading into this week's PGA Championship, it was said that there were two big Irish hopes for the year's second major. Both Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry were seen as the being among the contenders for the tournament in Oklahoma.
McIlroy started off brilliantly, but he has dipped a bit in the standings over the last couple of days. A similar fate also befell Lowry.
While that pair have struggled over the last 48 hours, Seamus Power has surged up the leaderboard.
Playing in only his second ever major championship, the Waterford native is in contention heading into the final round. Even par after the first two days, he shot a -3 round of 67 to move up to sixth place on the leaderboard.
He sits six shots off the lead, and while a late push to the top will be difficult, stranger things have happened on major Sundays.
At 35-years old, Power has experienced a remarkable rise over the 18 months or so. He has moved from outside the top 400 players in the world rankings to a current position of 40th. Having spent quite a bit of time just trying to make a living on the pro tour, he is certainly enjoying his spell at the very top of the game.
Speaking after yesterday's round, Power told RTÉ that his route to this point of his career perhaps gives him a different perspective compared to some of his fellow players.
Being a little older starting in the majors I think you have a slightly better perspective.
It’s obviously a big tournament but it’s not the end of the world, it’s not like everything is going to come to an end no matter what happens tomorrow.
I think having that perspective and being slightly older and having been through all the stages of it, you know opportunities are going to come and it’s fun to be in this spot and to see how your game is going to hold up.
This is why you practice. All the way back to growing up in west Waterford, this is why you practice in crappy conditions.
When things are going badly that’s why you fight through it, to get in these spots and see all the work pay off.
Mito Pereira holds a three-shot lead over the field heading into today's final round, although there is no guarantee that he will hold onto that advantage. The 27-year old is very inexperienced and has yet to win on the PGA Tour. In fact, this is only his second ever appearance at a major.
That gives the rest of the field some hope that a late move up the standings could be possible, with Power admitting he will go into Sunday aiming to win the tournament.
You’re trying to win the tournament and for me it’s going to be the same – starting off the first tee tomorrow and just trying to hit the shots I’m visualising.
I have simple things I try to do on every shot and if I do those I’ll be happy. I’ll stand on the first hole and visualise the shot I want to hit.
Everything feels pretty good, I’m rolling well, I’m driving well so there’s a lot of exciting opportunities for tomorrow.
Being in contention in the final round of a major is a remarkable achievement for Power, who has done fantastic to even reach this stage in the first place.
He will certainly have the whole country behind him later this evening, with his round getting underway at 7.15pm Irish time.
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