Tony Finau may not be the first name that comes to mind when discussing American match-play golfers, but he is proving to be a force to be reckoned with at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club. After beating Christiaan Bezuidenhout in his opening match, Finau won his second game against Adrian Meronk with a relatively easy 4-and-3 victory. This win moved him to 2-0 in the group and ensured a place in the knockout rounds if he wins or ties against Kurt Kitayama on Friday, and even if he loses, he will still have a spot in a playoff.
Despite a modest start, with a double bogey on the sixth and just a single birdie after eight holes, Finau found his momentum, with five straight birdies, including a 41-footer on 9, culminating in a seven-foot birdie on 13. Although Meronk matched Finau’s birdies on three of the five holes, he found himself 3 down with five holes to play. Finau then sealed the match by sinking a seven-foot birdie on 15.
Finau’s consistency and new-found nose for winning are impressive, and he is now up to No. 12 in the World Ranking after winning three PGA Tour victories in 2022. With the Masters and the rest of the majors on the horizon, success at the WGC-Match Play is a solid launchpad. Although Finau has never made the Round of 16 in the tournament, his record of 7-6-1 shows he’s more ready than ever before to answer the call.
