KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – Waiting on Tony Finau to win a major is almost like waiting for a bus. Eventually, it’s scheduled, and bound to arrive. At least that’s pretty much what the golf world, and Finau, wants to believe as we head into the 103rd PGA Championship. He feels as ready as ever.
Finau, 31, has eight top-10 finishes in his last 12 major championship starts, which would include a tie for fourth last summer at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. He proved something to himself in that final round, knocking down some clutch putts and shooting 66.
“It was a big round for me, just more so I had a chance to win coming down the stretch there,” Finau said Tuesday at Kiawah Island. “(Collin) Morikawa made an amazing eagle on 16, which kind of put the tournament away for a lot of us that were hovering right around 10 under, which I think a lot of us were at.
“So, he was able to put the golf tournament away with one swing, but barring that, any one of us could have won that tournament, and I was included in that. I think that was big for me. That was one of a few chances I've had to maybe win a major championship, or at least be in the thick of it with a few holes to go. I think that was a big stepping-stone for me; it’s always nice to play a good round of golf on a major Sunday.”
At 7,876 yards, the Ocean Course will be the longest test in major championship history, and that’s just fine with the long-hitting Finau. He went out Monday and played 18 holes from the tips, just to see Kiawah Island at its longest. He hit his driving iron at the par-3 14th – a club he normally hits 255 yards, could not reach the par-5 16th, and hit long irons into 15 and 18, clubs he isn’t usually required to hit on par-4 holes.
When he is home, Finau says he often will play a course at its maximum length, but he rarely does it out on tour. Players have received notice this week from PGA of America officials that many tees on the Ocean Course may be shifted because of the myriad conditions that a course sitting on the ocean can present.
Despite the fact that he owns but a single PGA Tour victory (2016 Puerto Rico Open), Finau fully believes he has what it takes to win a major championship, and that is a big part of the puzzle.
“I think there's definitely a belief in major championships,” Finau said. “I think there's only a certain amount of guys that actually believe they can win, like deep down. I think I'm one of those guys. I believe that I can win a major championship with my track record, with my type of game that holds up well on big golf courses, and under high-pressure situations.
“I feel really comfortable, I think, in major atmospheres, because I've put myself in contention in a lot of them. I've played in the Ryder Cup and I've played in a Presidents Cup ... I look forward to the major championships. Tiger (Woods) referred to them as the four weeks that mattered to him. A lot of the top players in the world feel the same.”
