Power the outlier takes the exotic route to Augusta

The first time Seamus Power invaded the consciousness of the mainstream Irish golf fan was at the 2016 Olympics, when he was the largely unknown beneficiary of Rory McIlory and Shane Lowry's professed wariness about the Zika virus.

Then a Korn Ferry Tour (or Web.com Tour) player, Power represented Ireland at the inaugural Olympics golf tournament in Rio alongside Padraig Harrington. And thus two wound-be accountants became Ireland's first golfing Olympians.

Harrington qualified as an accountant while competing on the amateur circuit in the early 90s. Power was bound for the course in UCC until a man from East Tennessee spied him in Italy and offered to whisk him across the Atlantic on a scholarship.

Fred Warren was on a talent finding expedition at the 2005 European Boys Team Championship in Monticelli. Rory McIlroy, around whom there was already growing buzz, was his original target. Warren told McIlroy the scholarship was his if he wanted it. He decided he didn't.

Rebuffed, Warren turned his attention to Power. As with the Olympics, Power benefitted from McIlroy opting out. While not considered as hot a property as Rory, Power was in the midst of an impressive youth career. He won three Irish Youth Championships in four years between 2005 and 2008, the final one by a whopping 11 strokes at Lisburn Golf Club when he was already based in the US.

In particular, the Tennessee talent scout was hugely taken by the Waterford lad's gung-ho, swaggering, American-like approach to the game. He sensed that Power's game was more suited to the parkland courses which predominate in the US, rather than the links-heavy Irish amateur scene.

"He had an American style game, a long hitter, aggressive, trying to make birdies. I was real impressed