Can Tony Finau prevail at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland this week?
Of course he can, but he will need to do something he hasn’t been able to accomplish this season, win. And he’ll have to play better than he has in those events where he has competed admirably, but fallen short.
He’ll need a great tournament of elite ball-striking and he’ll need to find some magic with his putter and wedge play.
All this, after taking some time off to rest and give some love to a new addition to the family.
“I think with the new baby that is five months old, Tony has been focusing solely on signature events and the majors,” said Real Golf Radio host Bobby Casper.
“He came to Ireland early so he could spend a couple of days preparing for the British Open. The idea was to help with practice, get familiar with the course and time change.
“I saw him at the beginning of last week and he looked in great spirits and said he was playing well. This should be a good course for him this week.”
The favorites are world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, hometown Northern Ireland favorite Rory McIlroy, who is fresh off a great effort at the Scottish Open last week, and LIV star Jon Rahm, a former champion.
Other top choices from the staff of Golf Digest and oddsmakers are Ludvig Aberg, Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele and UK stalwarts Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton.
Finau finished third in the British Open at Royal Portrush in 2019, and was the low American behind winner Lowry (17-under) and second-place finisher Fleetwood (9-under) with his 7-under-par finish.
In an interview with the Golf Channel this past spring, Finau said he still has what it takes to win a major and see his name high on the list of elite players. Speaking before the Houston Open, Finau said, “I feel I’ve just scratched the surface of what I can accomplish in the game.”
Back in 2019 at Royal Portrush, it was his best performance in a major up to that point in his career. He was the only player in the last 10 groups to match par on Sunday on the Dunluce Course.
Portrush is known for its challenging landscape that is impacted by the weather, specifically gusting winds. You can play three holes with the same wind direction and then face a completely different wind direction over the next three holes. Then another three holes are situated where you can face a completely different wind direction once more.
Such changing conditions forces players to adjust and get creative with their shots. The 230-yard par-3 16th, which features a deep ravine on the right side of the green, is called Calamity Corner, and par is a coveted score.
This is a course where players can go berserk. The desire to throw a club is understood.
After 2019’s effort, Finau was ecstatic about his performance, where the champion Lowry and McIlroy know the layout by heart. His third-place finish was a career highlight.
“I have played in tougher conditions, but I haven’t played better than I did today in those conditions,” Finau was quoted as saying in Golfweek. He said the conditions at Portrush were the fourth-worst he’d faced in his career.
He described to reporters what it took on his second-to-last round at Portrush.
“The second shot on 11 on Saturday, I hit a perfect drive when it was raining and blowing sideways. I had 206 front and 228 hole, so I pulled out my 2-iron, raining sideways and blowing 30 (mph) off the left and tried to hit a running hook up there.”
Finau reflected, “I love links golf. I wish I could play it more often. It takes so much creativity.”
Finau will need everything he has this week with bad weather expected. Most experts say the layout not only takes skill and imagination but a player with a good attitude who doesn’t get down and discouraged — because bad shots are on the menu.
During his career, Finau has had plenty of adversity, missing some short putts when in contention and slipping on the final round of play. But his attitude has always featured an easy-going demeanor, a laid-back attitude.
He’ll need plenty of that in Northern Ireland, that and his rain jacket.
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