Seamus Power won the Barbasol Championship with a 21-under on Sunday at Champions at Keene Trace for his first PGA TOUR victory, beating J.T. Poston with a tap-in par on the sixth hole of a playoff.
Poston, who matched Power hole for a hole during the first five playoff rounds hit the water on the par-4 18th for a bogey. Power’s drive landed on the fairway, and his second shot allowed him to two-putt for par and the victory.
Power, who was born and raised in Waterford, Ireland, played college golf at East Tennessee State University where he won five times including the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship in 2007 and 2010.
He was humble in his post-event remarks and grateful for the opportunity to play the sport he loves professionally. “I view myself as extremely lucky,” Power said. “I’m 34 and I’ve yet to work a day in my life. So, every time I get to play a tournament or play an extra year on tour, to me it’s a massive bonus. I love playing golf, it’s my favorite thing to do.”
In spite of a couple of weather delays over the four-day tournament, fans were treated to some exceptional golf including James Hahn breaking the course record on Saturday shooting 60 and coming within one putt of golf immortality and joining only 12 PGA TOUR professionals to ever shoot a 59. Hahn was in contention until the final two holes on Sunday, both of which he bogeyed.
The 2021 Barbasol Championship enjoyed large crowds with general admission sales doubling over 2019 and two new hospitality suites being added to accommodate corporate sponsors.
A new Club ’87 pavilion area was also added as a VIP area which featured food and beverage options and outstanding views of the action.
The Barbasol Championship’s popularity rose as with TV ratings increasing 83% compared to 2019.
Benefiting charities of the Barbasol Championship included All God’s Children, Kentucky Children’s Hospital, the Kentucky Region of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Refuge for Women, Sunrise Children’s Services, and the Woodhill Community Center (Lexington Leadership Foundation).
The tournament hosted a First Tee youth golf clinic on Monday which was attended by hundreds of local children, many of whom had never before played golf. This was followed by a mini-Pro-Am at Kroger Field where eight PGA TOUR golfers and patients at Kentucky Children’s Hospital played golf. Family Day at the Barbasol Championship was held on Saturday and all official charities were able to share their missions and stories of impact with families in attendance.