Tony Finau Ends Five Year Drought With Victory At The Northern Trust

Tony Finau wins the 2021 The Northern Trust, ending a five-year drought (image: Getty Images)
 

 

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - It took numerous delays, postponements of tee times and a playoff, but the 2021 The Northern Trust has finally concluded with a most deserving winner: Tony Finau.

Finau needed to rally against Cameron Smith in a one-hole playoff first, but not before a spectacular final round performance. He carded a back nine score of 30 today that included a birdie, eagle, birdie stretch from holes 12-14, in addition to another birdie on the 16th hole; good enough for the low round of the day.

This is Finau's second PGA Tour win and first win since 2016, and in 189 starts. Coincidentally, it is also his first win on US soil, as his last win came at the Puerto Rico Open. In addition to a $1.7 million payout, Finau also receives 2,000 FedEx Cup points, enough for a boost from 23rd to 1st in the FedEx Cup Rankings.

 

The win comes with much relief for Finau. Since his inaugural win back in 2016, he finished second in eight tournaments and had 39 top-10 finishes. These numbers are remarkable and highlight just how good of a player Finau is. Many in the past have often criticized him for his lack of wins, but in a true display of his character, he never bought into their criticism.

 

 

YET ANOTHER PLAYOFF ENDING

Again, it took a playoff to determine the winner this week. Both Tony Finau and Cameron Smith finished their final rounds at 20-under, but it was Jon Rahm who was on pace for the win.

 

Unfortunately, Rahm found trouble on both the 15th hole and 18th hole, carding bogeys for both and effectively ending his chances to win. It is interesting to note that from the TV coverage, it appeared that something was bothering Rahm on the 15th tee box, having backed off from the shot a few times. He would go on to land that tee shot in a fairway bunker and things were downhill from then on.

 

Cameron Smith started the day tied for the lead with Rahm, but things were looking grim after a double-bogey on the par 4 5th hole. Despite this, he rallied back and carded four birdies on his back nine. He faced a long putt on the 18th hole for the outright win, but could not sink it.

Back to the 18th tee box Finau and Smith went. However this week, things were less dramatic. Smith hit his tee shot far out of bounds while Finau found the fairway, sealing the deal for Finau, who ended up making a par for the win.

WORST AVOIDED, BUT HENRI LEAVES ITS MARK

Although forecasts of Hurricane Henri's path initially predicted a worse outcome for Liberty National Golf Club, the course was spared the worst, only receiving heavy rainfall and winds for a period of time. 

 

Still, this was enough for tour officials to postpone Sunday's final round to Monday morning, then further tee time postponements to midday on Monday, as rainfall and flash flood warnings were still in effect. Players were put into threesomes and split tees to make the final round as efficient as possible. The Monday round also featured no spectators, as it was deemed too hazardous given the forecasted rain and warnings.

 

This left players in a unique situation, essentially being given the day off on Sunday. For some, the day-off was good, while others found it tedious and unsure what to do with themselves, especially with so much on the line for the tournament. Some worked on their putting in their hotels rooms, while others opted for rest and relaxation. 

54 hole co-leader Jon Rahm saw the day-off as an opportunity for family time, with his four-month baby and wife who were both with him for the tournament this week.

This was the first mid-tournament postponement of a round since the 2019 Zozo Championship in Japan.

 

The staff at Liberty National should be applauded this week, particularly for their work in drying out the course after Sunday's heavy rainfall. 

TOP 70: WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT

To advance to the second round of the FedEx Cup Playoffs (later on this week at the BMW Championship), players needed to rank in the Top 70 at the end of The Northern Trust.

 

Keith Michell, who started the week in 101st place, needed a good result this week to move into the Top 70. And he did just that, finishing T8, with enough points to get him into the field next week.

For a full list of the FedEx Cup Rankings as of now, click HERE.

CALM BEFORE STORM LEADS TO NEW COURSE RECORD AT LIBERTY NATIONAL

Saturday was no doubt the calm before the storm. With winds low and conditions favorable, Saturday's rounds saw a slew of low scores including a new course record of 60 shot by Cameron Smith. His round consists of six birdies on the front nine and five on the back nine. He played the final five holes at 4-under par on Saturday, which propelled him up the leaderboard to T1 heading into the final round.

Scores of 62 were also shot on Saturday by Erik van Rooyen, Shane Lowry and Canadian Corey Connors.

 

The conditions on Monday were also soft, with more low scores, however a stiff wind was present at times.

The low scoring comes as a stark contrast to the 2013 The Barclays, which saw a pre-renovation version of Liberty National Golf Club. That week, the winning score was 11-under and the low round of the week was a 63-shot by Keegen Bradley. 

There is always debate amongst fans as to what is more entertaining, watching players battle through a tough course or watching them dominate a vulnerable course. Personally, I think both are equally exciting. 

***

That concludes another exciting week on the PGA Tour. The excitement continues (later this week) with the second playoff event: The BMW Championship, where the Top 70 will battle it out to win and ultimately gain entry into the prestigious final tournament: The Tour Championship. Only one will be crowned the FedEx Cup Champion, who will it be?

Stay tuned for our preview post of the 2021 BMW Championship later this week,

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews

Rahm Surges Ahead of Uncertain Weekend at 2021 The Northern Trust

JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY - The FedEx Cup Playoffs are underway! The first two rounds of the 2021 The Northern Trust at Liberty National Golf Club have concluded and Jon Rahm leads the field with a score of 12-under and a single shot lead over Tony Finau. The cut this week has been set at 1-under.

 

Jon Rahm leads the 2021 The Northern Trust heading into an uncertain weekend 

(image: Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)

 

RAHMBO RETURNS

Rahm's skill and abilities were on full display during his first two rounds. He fired off an impressive 8-under 63 for his opening round, which included four birdies on the front nine and four on the back nine. He followed this up with a 4-under 67 on Friday. 

 

He remains bogey-free for the tournament, a streak that was nearly in jeopardy on the par 4 16th hole on Friday. After landing his approach shot left of the green and chipping on poorly, Rahm was left with a 24-foot putt for par. It was a difficult putt, relatively speaking, that broke twice before reaching the hole. But Rahm, who's putting has been hot all week, sank the putt for a clutch par.

A win for Rahm this week would place him first in the FedEx Cup Rankings and make him a favourite to win the FedEx Cup outright heading into the Tour Championship.

THE TOP 70: HOW ITS LOOKING SO FAR

The Top 70 players in the FedEx Cup Rankings will move onto the second round of the Playoffs next week: The BMW Championship.

As it stands right now, the Top 70 "Bubble" includes Seamus Power (69) who sits at T26 at 5-under, Matthew Wolff (70) who was cut and Talor Gooch (71), who shot a 64 today to place him at T57 at 2-under. It will be interesting to see if Gooch and Power can play well on the weekend to stay/get into the Top 70.

Notable players out of the Top 70 include Matthew Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Ian Poulter, Bubba Waston, Adam Scott, Jason Day and Chesson Hadley, who just got into the tournament this week after a good performance last week at the Wyndham Championship.

Players who made the cut are not out of the woods yet. For those below the cutoff, they'll need good performances as do players who are just above the cutoff. It feels like a tournament within a tournament during these playoff events, because that's exactly what it is. Players do want to win this week, but if they can't, they want to ensure they can progress further along in the playoffs.

The biggest jump in rankings thus far goes to Keith Mitchell, who entered the week ranked 101st. He carded a 68 and 64 to put him at 10-under and tied for 3rd. Even better, he jumped 64 spots and theoretically sits in 34th place at the moment.

INCLEMENT WEATHER POTENTIALLY FOR LIBERTY NATIONAL

Liberty National Golf Club in the past has received criticism for its difficulty. This year, despite some windy weather during the opening round, the course played tough but fair. Low scores were had by many players. The low round of the tournament thus far was a 63, shot both both Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas. The second round also saw a slew of 64s being shot.

The weather however, is expected to turn for the worst. Tropical Storm Henri, currently over the Carolinas, is expected to make landfall late Sunday afternoon as a hurricane, with strong winds expected to reach the Jersey City area by Saturday night. It's not known how the storm will affect the tournament, but it suffices to say that officials are keeping an eye on it, no doubt thinking of player and spectator safety first.

Hurricanes have affected the tournament before. In 2011, Hurricane Irene forced the final round of The Barclays, as it was known then, to be cancelled. The tournament was shortened to 54-holes where Dustin Johnson went on to win.

CARRY ON WAYWARD TEE SHOT

Spectators of the second round were treated to a hilarious incident on the 10th hole. Hideki Matsuyama managed to land his tee shot right of the fairway, but directly inside a spectator's shirt. Luckily, he did not have to play the ball as it lied and took relief. Matsuyama, in an act of kindness, then signed and gifted the ball to the fan; a souvenir he will never forget.

Matsuyama ended up landing his second shot just left of the green and finished the hole with a bogey. He sits at T25 at 5-under and 15th in the rankings.

HOW ARE OUR PICKS DOING SO FAR?

Let's check in to see how our picks are faring so far:

1) Phil Mickelson: CUT

2) Dustin Johnson: CUT

3) Collin Morikawa: CUT

Sometimes we pick well and sometimes we don't! Phil Mickelson had a tough couple of rounds, in particular on the par 3 11th hole, which he double-bogeyed in his opening round, then triple-bogeyed in his second round. His position drops him to 67th in the rankings and is now in danger of not progressing in the playoffs.

 

Dustin Johnson had a bit of bad luck as well. Before his first round, he noticed his driver was cracked. He didn't have a replacement driver so he opted to play with two 3 woods, each with a different loft. This no doubt affected his scoring, reducing his driving distance by a substantial amount.

Many have wondered about Morikawa's play this week. It was recently reported though that Morikawa apparently hurt his back during the Olympics and as a result has been modifying his golf swing to make it less painful on him. As many golfers know, back injuries can plague golfers for their entire careers if not handled properly. Let's hope Morikawa is able to make a speedy but appropriate recovery. 

***

And just like that, the first two rounds of the 2021 The Northern Trust have concluded. This weekend is sure to be interesting, given the inclement weather being forecasted and potential for low scores.

Stay tuned to see who has won and who is moving ahead in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews

Day Leads, Spieth Follows Going Into Final Round of the 2015 PGA Championship

There's just one round left in this year's PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. As it stands now, Jason Day is our leader at 15-under, with a two shot lead over current Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth. Just a shot behind Spieth lays Justin Rose and Brandon Grace.

Saturday definitely lived up to it's name "Moving Day". The conditions at Whistling Straits were ideal for scoring low and many players took advantage of this. Day shot a 66, but not in easy fashion. He carded eight birdies, an eagle, two bogeys, and a double bogey. Spieth shot a more traditional 65, carding seven birdies. Interestingly enough, Spieth has only made a two bogeys over his three rounds, the least in the field. The two will be paired in the final grouping today, one seeking his first major one, the other trying to put his name in history. I'm not sure what would be the bigger story, Jason Day winning his first major or Spieth winning 3 of 4 this year?

The low round of the day was that of US Open contender Branden Grace, with a 64 (8 birdies). This would have tied the course record on the Straits Course if Hiroshi Iwata hadn't broken it a couple of days ago. Also lurking behind the lead is 2010 PGA Champion Martin Kaymer, at four shots back. He also shot a 65 today. Kaymer was the last winner of the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. Due to the controversy with Dustin Johnson in 2010, Kaymer is often overlooked as the winner at times. Kaymer will be paired with PGA Tour rookie and long hitting Tony Finau.

Finally, here's how our picks are doing:

1) Dustin Johnson: T9 at 9-under
2) Jim Furyk: 4-under at T30
3) Jason Day: 1st at 15-under

Johnson is still lurking despite not shooting as low of scores as some players. It'll take some work for him to win today, but golfers have come back from bigger margins before. Furyk may be out of contention, but will be looking for a good finish today; something he does so well.

There's nothing like a Sunday at a major, especially when it's the last one of the year. If the conditions today are as good as yesterday, the winner may not be so clear cut. It wouldn't surprise me if the winner wasn't in the final two groups.

Stay tuned tomorrow morning to see who's won,


-Nick
Toronto Golf Reviews

Jason Day Seeks His First Major Win Today

2015 Quicken Loans National Picks

This week the PGA Tour stops off in Gainesville, Virginia for the Quicken Loans National. The tournament is being held at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club for the first time this year and is hosted by Tiger Woods, with benefits going to his charity, the Tiger Woods Foundation. This is a relatively new tournament on the PGA Tour schedule, having first been played in 2007 (when it was known as the AT&T National).

The Quicken Loans National is one of the more unique tournaments played by the pros, due to it's "invitational" status; a designation given to only five tournaments on tour. What this means is that the field is usually smaller and a greater variety of players usually participate in it; it doesn't follow the normal PGA Tour Priority Ranking System that designates who can play in a tournament.

Robert Trent Jones Golf Club was designed by course namesake and iconic golf course architect Robert Trent Jones and opened in 1991. It's said that the famous architect often refered to this course as "my masterpiece" which really speaks for itself, given the numerous courses Jones has designed/redesigned over the years (Spyglass Hill, Augusta National, Olympic Club, Firestone (which will host the WGC Bridgestone Invitational next week)). It's also been a Presidents Cup favourite; having hosted the event in 1994 (it's inaugural year), 1996, 2000, and 2005. As of today, it stretches to about 7,425 yards and plays as a par 72.

Given the invitational status of a tournament, the field this week is unique and so are our picks:

1) Jimmy Walker
2) Cameron Tringale
3) Tony Finau

Walker's been a bit quiet since his T2 finish at the HP Byron Nelson in May, but he may make some noise this week. Tringale has also been pretty quiet. And Finau is our dark horse pick, who could do damage with his colossal distance. Also, since this is the first time the tournament has been played at Robert Trent Jones' course, the field should be pretty even this year I think.

Stay tuned for our weekend post on Friday to see who's leading halfway through.


-Nick
Toronto Golf Reviews

 Jimmie Walker is our top pick this week