{"id":24578,"date":"2022-07-25T00:06:55","date_gmt":"2022-07-25T00:06:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/tony-finau-caps-record-rally-for-3m-open-title-3rd-of-pga-tour-career\/"},"modified":"2022-07-25T00:06:55","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T00:06:55","slug":"tony-finau-caps-record-rally-for-3m-open-title-3rd-of-pga-tour-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/tony-finau-caps-record-rally-for-3m-open-title-3rd-of-pga-tour-career\/","title":{"rendered":"Tony Finau caps record rally for 3M Open title, 3rd of PGA Tour career"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes<\/p>\n
ON TOUR \u2014 As Tony Finau approached the tee on the 18th hole at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota, he did so with an extra soundtrack: the crowd standing around the box chanting: “To-Ny! To-Ny! To-Ny !”<\/p>\n
After acknowledging the crowd, Finau gave his ball a light kiss \u2014 and promptly plunked it into the nearby water hazard.<\/p>\n
It might have been his only misplayed stroke Sunday. Moments later, he rolled in a short bogey putt to clinch the 3M Open title \u2014 perhaps the sweetest bogey of his career.<\/p>\n
Wearing his final-round green in honor of his late mother Vena who tragically died in a car accident in 2011, Finau shot 4-under-par 67 in the final round of the Open at TPC Twin Cities, earning his third win on the PGA Tour and second in less than 365 days. With his family and children waiting for him on the side of the 18th green, his smile said it all.<\/p>\n
Maybe this win wasn’t as long coming as his previous two. But the comeback that provided it was just as thrilling \u2014 if not more. This one, after all, was for Mom.<\/p>\n
“I love my family; I love my mom. I miss her,” the father of five told CBS, fighting back tears with his children flanking him on either side. “It’s so special to have my family here with me to celebrate this win. They mean everything to me.<\/p>\n
“My wife has been a huge support to me. There have been a lot of people who have gotten me to this point, and I’d be selfish not to thank so many people. But my parents and my wife have supported me since day one \u2014 and this one’s for them.”<\/p>\n
Finau overturned a five-shot deficit in the final round on Scott Piercy, who led from the opening day. The 32-year-old Rose Park native who currently splits time between Lehi and Scottsdale, Arizona took a one-shot lead with a nine iron from 164 yards out on the par-4, 412-yard 14th hole \u2014 then did it one better by dropping a 32-foot birdie putt on the 15th hole as part of a run of three-straight birdies to push his lead as high as four shots with three holes remaining.<\/p>\n
His five-stroke comeback to win set a 3M Open record and was the largest comeback victory on the PGA Tour since Justin Thomas overcame a seven-shot deficit in the 2022 PGA Championship.<\/p>\n
In all, Finau carded two birdies of eight feet, a 15-footer and the 32-footer to shoot 33 on the back nine after firing 1-under 34 on the front.<\/p>\n
“Really, (it took) everything I had,” Finau said. “I was playing great, and every time I looked up, it felt like I was four or five shots back. I really got it going on the back nine.<\/p>\n
“I called bank on 17, and it worked out.”<\/p>\n