Finau Competes in First U.S. Open

Fairways | Nicole Gaddie

The 2015 PGA tour season has been good to Tony Finau. As a rookie, he’s made 14 cuts with four top 10 finishes.

But this tournament was different. It was his first major championship.

The U.S. Open is known for extremely tough playing conditions and untraditional courses. Players who can navigate unforeseen obstacles and think creatively hold a keen advantage. This year’s tournament took place at Chambers Bay, an eight-year-old man-made links course measuring close to 7,700 yards, making it the longest in U.S. Open history.

Two of the holes alternate between par 4 and 5’s on a landscape featuring 195 feet of elevation changes, huge sprawling greens and deep undulations. As soon as players arrived, they realized they would be forced to play out of their comfort zone. Controversy shortly ensued. Ian Poulter called the course a “complete farce,” Billy Horschel tweeted the greens were the “worst rolling greens [he had] ever putted on,” even the great Gary Player said the man who designed the golf course (Robert Trent Jones Jr.) had to have had “one leg shorter than the other.”

Finau didn’t know he would be playing in the U.S. Open until qualifying a week prior. Although competing on new territory, the 25-year-old only needed three words to describe his feelings about the course.

“I love it.” Playing in front of Finau during Wednesday’s practice round was the foursome of Steve Marino, Matt Every, Billy Horschel and Charley Hoffman. Marino’s iPhone blasted reggae music as the group made their way down the ninth fairway.

Hanging low-key a hole behind was Finau, joined by his father, a local caddie and coach. “I was pretty anxious to get my first major started,” said Finau. And that’s exactly what Finau did during his first round. Although relatively unknown, it didn’t take long for spectators to notice the 6-foot-4 Tongan/Samoan-American, his booming length and delicate short game. With an eagle on the par-4, 12th — the narrowest hole on the course — Finau fired a first round one under, 69. Good enough to put him in a tie for 14th place, beating Tiger Woods by 11 strokes and Rickie Fowler by 12.

Entering the weekend Any savvy tour pro knows the final two days of the U.S. Open can elevate or destroy hungry hopefuls.

On Saturday, Finau was assigned his first late afternoon tee time. The heat of the sun dried out fairways and firmed greens. Poor driving accuracy caused Finau to miss every fairway on the front nine and face difficult approach shots. Unable to convert up and downs, Finau finished six strokes worse than the previous day at four-over-par, dropping to ninth.

By Sunday’s final round, Finau had garnered a loyal group of fans, many of whom had abandoned well known PGA Tour veterans in favor of the young pro. Despite an early birdie on the first, a double at the sixth — his worst consecutive hole of the tournament — shattered any chance of making a run. Finau entered the clubhouse at one over par, 71, bringing him to two over for the tournament, and ending his first major championship in a tie for 14th.

“It's been quite the journey to get to this point,” said Finau. “But it's what I've worked so hard for. I stayed patient during the week and played nicely.”

21-year-old Jordan Spieth would ultimately secure the title and spotlight after Dustin Johnson’s shocking three-putt. The win boosted him halfway to a grand slam after winning the Masters in April.

As for Finau, he will continue to hone his game to qualify for the British Open at St. Andrews on July 19th.