Power loses ground at John Deere Classic

Seamus Power failed to really build on his promising opening round as he picked up just a single shot to sit just outside the top 20 at the John Deere Classic.

The Waterford native had started round two inside the top 10 but with the course still receptive to good scoring – Hayden Springer shot 59 on Thursday – he was moving in the wrong direction despite a round of 70 moving him to eight-under par overall.

That left him six shots off clubhouse leaders Aaron Rai of England and Taiwan’s CT Pan with the second wave of starters still on the course overnight.

After three opening pars, Power dropped a shot on the fourth hole after drifting left on his approach to the green, but a 16-foot birdie putt at the ninth saw him out level.

Coming in, Power carded eight pars with one stroke picked up at the par-three 16th when he chipped in from just off the green.

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Pan and Rai both shot 63 in their second rounds while Springer was alongside them on 14-under par midway through his round.