GOLF

Tony Finau Double Bogeys Final Hole, Enters Clubhouse Shooting Even Par At The Open

Jul 15, 2021, 11:16 AM

Tony Finau of the United States plays a shot on the tenth hole during the second round of the Trave...

Tony Finau of the United States plays a shot on the tenth hole during the second round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 25, 2021 in Cromwell, Connecticut. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah’s Tony Finau has concluded his opening round at the 149th Open Championship at even-par, 70, and six shots behind the leader Louis Oosthuizen.

Disaster On 18

Finau, 31, played better and deserved more than an even-par opening round. However, disaster struck on the 18th green when he three-putted for a double bogey after leaving himself a long 20-foot par putt.

After missing the par attempt on 18, Finau pulled a three feet bogey look and eventually tapped in for double. He entered the 18th hole at two-under-par and only four shots off the pace. That quickly changed when he made multiple mistakes in a matter of seconds to conclude his opening round.

Finau made the turn at one-under-par after making birdie on the par 3 3rd hole. His only bogey of the day came on the challenging par 4 12th, but he was able to respond with back-to-back birdies on 13, and 14.

The concluding double-bogey made for a tragic ending.

However, Finau teed it up later than most to begin his Open campaign and subsequently dealt with more wind than those players who were in the morning wave. Tomorrow, Finau will begin his second round early in the morning when the wind is generally less abrasive. A solid second round will bring Finau back into contention as he hopes to contend for yet another major tournament.

The Numbers

The numbers suggest that Finau was deserving of more than an even-par round. He found 70 percent of fairways, knocked it onto the green in regulation on 67 percent of the time, and only averaged 1.67 putts per green that included the three-putt on 18.

Second Round Tee Time & Pairings

Finau will tee it up at 12:52 a.m. alongside Adam Hadwin and Billy Horschel who concluded the first round at five-over-par and even-par, respectively.

Fans of Finau wanting to catch glimpses of his round will be required to tune in via the Peacock streaming app. However, Finau is not a member of a featured group through the first two days of play at Royal St. George’s therefore his television time may be limited.

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Tony Finau Double Bogeys Final Hole, Enters Clubhouse Shooting Even Par At The Open