Seamus Power set for Masters debut but misery for Ian Poulter and Paul Casey

Ireland’s Seamus Power is set to secure a Masters debut as Ian Poulter’s absence from Augusta National was confirmed on day two of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Poulter’s chances were already slim after an opening loss at Austin Country Club and a 4 and 2 defeat to Ryder Cup team-mate Matt Fitzpatrick confirmed that he will miss the Masters for just the third time since his debut in 2004.
The 46-year-old had needed to reach the quarter-finals to climb from 67th in the world rankings to inside the top 50 ahead of Monday’s deadline, while Power began the week 48th in the standings.
Power was ranked No. 454 in the OWGR exactly one year ago, coming off a missed cut on the @KornFerryTour. He is now No. 48 and will automatically advance through group play with a win against Keith Mitchell tomorrow.
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 24, 2022
An opening 5 and 4 victory over Sungjae Im strengthened Power’s position and victory by the same margin over world number four Patrick Cantlay means the 35-year-old is almost certain to receive a Masters invite for the first time.
“I didn’t make too many mistakes and obviously I caught Patrick on a day when he didn’t play his best, so I was able to take advantage,” said Power, who made just one birdie in 14 holes and will need just a half point against Keith Mitchell on Friday to win group four.
Paul Casey had earlier bowed out of the event after conceding his second match of the week, this time without hitting a single shot.
Casey completed two holes of his opening contest with Corey Conners and hit his tee shot on the third before withdrawing due to back spasms on Wednesday.
Alex Noren playing against … himself … after Paul Casey conceded again because of back spasms. pic.twitter.com/swPaVyDAvj
— Ryan Lavner (@RyanLavnerGC) March 24, 2022
The 44-year-old Englishman had hoped to be fit to face former Ryder Cup team-mate Alex Noren on Thursday but withdrew at the last minute, with a somewhat bemused Noren already on the first tee.
Casey came in for criticism on social media for starting his match against Conners, thereby denying first reserve Bernd Wiesberger a place in the field.
However, Austrian Wiesberger, who would have needed to reach the semi-finals to potentially qualify for the year’s first major at Augusta National, defended his Ryder Cup team-mate.
Writing on Twitter after Casey’s concession to Conners, Wiesberger said: “PC is a good friend and I wish him a speedy recovery. Hopefully he’ll be able to play tomorrow!”
PC is a good friend and I wish him a speedy recovery. Hopefully he’ll be able to play tomorrow! https://t.co/RGMgHdN6rc
— Bernd Wiesberger (@BWiesberger) March 24, 2022
Casey said a combination of age and fatigue was likely to blame for the back spasms, adding: “I wanted to play today. I was in there (the PGA Tour physio truck) for a good hour this morning getting more treatment, hoping I could go.
“(It was) just tender on the putting green and then (I) started to feel it on the chipping green and then couldn’t get past a 9-iron, so…”
With Conners beating Louis Oosthuizen to set up a winner-takes-all tie with Noren on Friday, Casey later confirmed that he would not contest his dead rubber with Oosthuizen.
LIVE SCORES: Follow all the latest leaderboards in our live golf scores centre.
Latest
-
European Tour
England’s Matt Wallace moves into contention at halfway stage of Dutch Open
A second round of 67 at Bernardus Golf gave Wallace a halfway total of eight under par and left him two shots behind Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia.
-
News
Rory McIlroy sees last week’s US PGA Championship as ‘one that got away’
He held a one-shot lead after an opening five-under-par 65 at Southern Hills.
-
PGA Tour
Justin Thomas switches focus to Texas after ‘unfathomable’ US PGA win
The former world number one won the championship for a second time on Sunday.
-
PGA Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick: Falling short at US PGA Championship ‘hurts a hell of a lot’
Fitzpatrick carded a closing three-over-par 73 to miss out on the play-off between eventual winner Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris by two shots.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas pays tribute to caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay after his US PGA victory
Phil Mickelson’s former bagman gave Thomas a crucial pep talk after he shot 74 on Saturday.
-
PGA Championship
Tommy Fleetwood confident he is ‘coming out the other side’ after dip in form
Fleetwood finished in a tie for fifth at the US PGA Championship.
-
PGA Championship
Emotional Justin Thomas credits his experience for US PGA victory
Thomas also won the 2017 US PGA at Quail Hollow.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas eclipses Will Zalatoris in play-off to claim second US PGA title
The former world number one’s victory equalled the biggest comeback in US PGA history.
-
PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy’s Sunday charge at US PGA Championship ends in disappointment
McIlroy’s closing 68 in Tulsa was followed by him declining to speak to waiting reporters.
-
PGA Championship
Paul McGinley says Tiger Woods deserves better than to be a ‘ceremonial golfer’
The 46-year-old withdrew from a major championship for the first time in his professional career at Southern Hills.