A week of changes ends with a runner-up for Finau
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Tony Finau’s approach from gallery to 6 feet Charles Schwab
FORT WORTH, Texas – Tony Finau was never really able to apply significant heat on Kevin Na during Sunday’s final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge. But a runner-up finish – his best result in the 2019 calendar year – left Finau in an upbeat mood leaving Colonial.
“Outside of Augusta, I haven’t played great golf this year, for me up to my standards,” said Finau, whose T-5 at the Masters was his previous best result in 2019. “This is a huge step forward. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come the rest of the season.”
Finau, whose only TOUR win came in 2016, had hoped to apply pressure on Na. He started two strokes off the pace and was managing to keep up with birdies on two of his first five holes.
But after his birdie at the ninth, Finau failed to convert a handful of back-nine opportunities, including at the par-4 12th (“A great putt … didn’t break”) and par-3 13th (“Left it in the heart 2 feet short”). He eventually signed for a 2-under 68 that left him at 9 under for the week, four shots behind Na.
Overall, though, Finau couldn’t be too disappointed in his putting. After all, he started the week changing to a claw grip. He also changed the actual grip on his putter, going with a smaller grip with less weight. He also switched the shaft from 36 to 35 inches and took some weight of the head of his putter.
“Overall weight and the swing weight was a lot less and allows me to stroke the putter more and not be so hesitant because it’s so heavy,” Finau explained. “Some great adjustments I made this week.”
It gives him confidence that the elusive second win may come soon.
“I’m at a point in my career where I’m just chasing the next one,” he said. “When that time comes, I know it’s not a question of it, but just when. I gave myself a chance this week and hopefully that’s a sign of things to come the rest of the season.”