Here’s how Utah’s Tony Finau fared Friday morning in second round of British Open

FILE — Tony Finau chips onto the green during the first round of the U.S. Open Golf Championship, Thursday, June 17, 2021, at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego. Finau shot a 4-under 66 in the second round of British Open on Friday at Royal St. George’s in Sandwich, England. | Jae C. Hong, Associated Press

West High graduate and part-time Lehi resident continued his remarkable play in golf’s major championships

Utah’s Tony Finau will keep alive his stellar record of making the cut in professional golf’s major championships.

The West High graduate and part-time Lehi resident got off to a fantastic start early Friday morning in the second round of the British Open and finished with a 4-under-par 66 at Royal St. George’s in Sandwich, England.

Finau is at 4-under for the tournament and was tied for ninth in the early afternoon when the second wave of players took to the course. The cut was expected to come at 1-over, due to optimal weather conditions for scoring at The Open Championship.

Finau has now made the cut in 15 of his last 17 majors.

At the U.S. Open last month at Torrey Pines, the 31-year-old father missed the cut, then missed the cut the following week at The Travelers in Cromwell, Connecticut, and was clearly struggling.

But he rebounded with an even-par 70 in the first round Thursday — spoiling a good round with a double-bogey on the 18th hole.

Friday, teeing off at 12:52 a.m. MDT (7:52 a.m. in the United Kingdom), Finau shot 31 on the front nine. He birdied the par-3 second hole for the second-straight day, and also made birdies on the fifth, eighth and ninth holes to make the turn at 4-under.

Bogeys on 10 and 12, a pair of par-4s, threatened to derail a standout round, but he recovered with birdies on 14 and 15.

Making the cut continued a string of fine play at the British Open for Finau, who has never finished worse than a tie for 27th (2017, Royal Birkdale) at the hallowed event. Finau finished tied for ninth in 2018 at Carnoustie and alone in third in 2019 at Royal Portrush.

The Open Championship was not held last year due to the pandemic.

He attributed Friday’s success to accuracy, having hit 15 of 18 greens in regulation.

Midway through the afternoon rounds, Colin Morikawa of the United States led at 9-under, having posted a round of 64 on Friday.

from Deseret News https://ift.tt/2UMlzu2