Tony Finau Impresses During Opening Round Of 3M Open
Jul 21, 2022, 5:04 PM
Tony Finau of the United States putts on the 10th green during the first round of the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities on July 21, 2022 in Blaine, Minnesota. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Tony Finau has fired an impressive four-under-par, 67, in the opening round of the 3M Open to sit two shots off the pace with three rounds remaining.
Finau fresh 🔥@TonyFinauGolf is T3 @3MOpen pic.twitter.com/LdfIyn3Dj4
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 21, 2022
Tony Finau Surges
Finau’s day began with a three-putt bogey on the opening hole. It was his only bogey of the opening round. On the par 4 3rd hole, Finau hit his tee shot into the right rough but followed with an exceptional approach to 10 feet which he was able to drain for his first birdie of the tournament.
On the following hole, the par 3 4th, Finau made another birdie after hitting his tee shot to five feet for a simple birdie putt.
Consecutive pars on holes 5 and 6 kept Finau at one under for the day.
Then on the par 4 7th, Finau capitalized again on another terrific approach shot from 91 yards that left him with a tap-in birdie from 3 feet. His final birdie on the front nine came on the 9th when he made a 23-foot putt that fell from his left to right. The broadcast suggested the make percentage on the putt was just 12%.
Finau to 3 feet 👏 pic.twitter.com/F19cUK2QEJ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 21, 2022
Finau made the turn at three-under-par following an opening nine holes that consisted of 32 shots.
Missed Back Nine Opportunities
The back nine only consisted of one birdie which came on the par 5 12th after he found the green in just two shots, becoming just the sixth player to do so throughout the opening round.
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Finau’s putter got colder as the round went on. He missed a three-foot putt that he hit through the break on 14 that would usually result in a birdie and on 18 he was unable to capitalize on the closing par 5 when he missed a 7-foot putt for birdie.
Nevertheless, Finau is in contention and is ranked as the best golfer in the field. Hideki Matsuyama, who entered the tournament three spots higher than Finau in the Official World Golf Rankings, withdrew from the tournament following his opening round citing a wrist injury.
Scott Piercy and Im Sung-jae lead the field at six-under-par.
Finau will tee off the 10th tee to begin his second round at 5:23 a.m. alongside Jason Day and Davis Riley.
