Seamus Power was forced into an early start on Saturday morning as darkness impacted the Bank of Utah Championship second round - and the birdie picked up in those final three holes ensured that the Waterford man will be around for the weekend as he battles to save his PGA Tour card.
The Waterford native needs a big finish to the season to secure playing rights for 2026 so a missed cut here would have been particularly damaging in a tournament led by American pair Michael Brennan and David Ford on 10-under par.
Power started on Saturday morning at one-under par, nine shots off the lead and just inside the cut-line, but it would eventually moved to two-under par.
Starting his second round on the 10th on Friday, Power was two-over par for his round after seven holes before claiming his first birdie at the par-five 18th.
Another dropped shot would follow at the second before birdies at the third and sixth left him sitting on the right side of the projected cut-line before a lack of light forced the players in.
Resuming on the par-five seventh, Power left himself with a 35-foot eagle putt before settling for a crucial birdie with back-to-back pars following at his closing holes.
Brennan, in his first PGA Tour start as a professional, and Ford hold a one-shot lead heading into the third round.
The leading duo hit six-under 65s to sit on 10-under,
Brennan shot a six-under par 65 in the second round, boosting him to 10-under, one ahead of fellow Americans Jackson Suber, Justin Lower and Pierceson Coody along with Ford.
Brennan, 23, played this season on the PGA Tour Americas, which feeds into the Korn Ferry Tour. However, he is playing the PGA Tour this week on a sponsor's exemption, and he is making the most of it. His Friday round included five birdies, an eagle at the par-five ninth hole and just one bogey.
"I've been driving the ball really nicely, putting the ball in the fairway a lot, giving myself some good wedge and short iron opportunities," Brennan said. "I've also made some nice mid-range putts the first two rounds, which always great to see those go in.
"But just kind of looking to stay a lot of the same this weekend. Hopefully driver stays hot because if you're not in the fairway, it's trouble out here. So, yeah, putting the ball in play is important."
Coody carded a bogey-free 64 for the low round of the tournament thus far.
Defending champion Matt McCarty (65) and Japan's Takumi Kanaya (68) are tied at eight-under par, and are joined there by Canada's Ben Silverman and USA's Connor Howe.
Additional reporting: Reuters
