Power surges into contention on Bridgestone Order of Merit
MARK Power moved up to fourth on the Bridgestone Order of Merit following his runner-up finish at the East of Ireland
The top three remain unchanged but Kilkenny’s rising star has moved into contention for an automatic callup for the Home Internationals.
Robin Dawson, winner of this year’s Flogas Irish Amateur Open, tops the table from Castle’s Alex Gleeson with West of Ireland champion Robert Brazill in third.
Power scorched through the pack at County Louth, closing with a 68 to take the clubhouse lead before South African Christo Lamprecht birdied the last to claim a two-stroke victory.
Power’s reward for finishing second at the East is 160 order of merit points, which moves him ahead of Mallow’s James Sugrue. And the two-time Irish Boys champion is now just 45 points outside the top three.
“I’m really happy with it,” said Power reflecting on his result at the East. “I have a little bit of a break after this week, then British Amateur and European Individual after that so it’s nice to have a bit of form going into those tournaments because they’re really big tournaments.”
Now that he has risen to fourth in the Bridgestone race, Power is pushing for a place in the Ireland men’s team for this year’s Home InternationHe als. turns 18 this weekend and is still eligible to play at boys level, but he can secure his first senior cap by finishing in the top two on the Bridgestone Order of Merit.