Tony Finau Takes Second At Canadian Open As Rory Mcllroy Successfully Defends Championship
Jun 12, 2022, 3:49 PM
The group of Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, Tony Finau of the United States, and Justin Thomas of the United States walks off the fifth tee of during the final round of the RBC Canadian Open at St. George's Golf and Country Club on June 12, 2022 in Etobicoke, Ontario. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
(Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Tony Finau has fallen short at the Canadian Open by 1 shot to Rory McIlroy despite putting together a 6-under-final round for a 17-under score. Mcllroy won at 18-under-par.
Mcllroy becomes just the second player since 1962 to defend the Canadian Open Championship after winning the event in 2019 by seven shots over Shane Lowry. The 2020 and 2021 Canadian Open tournaments were canceled due to the global pandemic.
Back to back in the 6 🏆🇨🇦🏆 @McIlroyRory defends his @RBCCanadianOpen title. pic.twitter.com/yhs8naqOr2
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 12, 2022
Finau, Justin Thomas, and Mcllroy were all grouped together in the final round making for a mouth-watering finish at St. Georges Golf and Country Club in Ontario, Canada.
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It was a bogey-free final round for Finau who strung 6 birdies to card a 64. But the headlines belonged to Mcllroy who dropped 10 birdies and 2 bogeys for a final round card of 62.
All three players were within one shot of one another with two holes to play as Thomas and Mcllroy shared the lead at 17-under while Finau sat one back at 16-under on the 17th tee box. But a two-shot swing occurred on the 17th green when Thomas made bogey after missing the fairway right, pitching a nine iron to short of the green, failing to hit his wedge close and two-putting from 15 feet, while Mcllroy stuck his approach from 125 tight and buried his birdie putt.
Tied at the 🔝@TonyFinauGolf joins @McIlroyRory at -13 after a birdie on No. 5. pic.twitter.com/mS7BhiLzDu
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 12, 2022
On the 18th, Thomas blew up for another bogey on 18 while Finau drained a 25-foot downhill putt to put slight pressure on Mcllroy who only needed one putt from 6 feet to win his second Canadian Open title.
“It is incredible you know playing with Tony [Finau] and JT today, two of the top players in the world, and for all of us to play the way we did I think the worst we shot was six-under. I will never forget this day for my 25th PGA Tour win,” Mcllroy said immediately following the win.
Finau will now prepare for next week’s U.S. Open which is slated to be held at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. It will be the second major of the year following The Masters which was won by world number one Scottie Scheffler in April.
