If Tony Finau Is To Win A Major Tournament He Will Likely Do So Within The Next Year

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Tony Finau is yet to win a major tournament on the PGA Tour, in fact, he has only won one PGA Tour event since turning pro over a decade ago. If Finau is going to find himself as a major champion he will likely do so within the next year, the numbers suggest.

The Numbers Suggest

The average age of major champions within the game of golf is 32 years 143 days, according to an article on PGA dot com that was published in 2018. Finau is currently 31 years and 281 days old.

Since Finau turned pro in 2007, he has been in contention at multiple tournaments, including major tournaments, but has struggled down the stretch on far too many occasions.

Tony Finau has finished in the top 10 in 9 of the previous 12 majors.

9/12 top 10 finishes in majors.

His time has to be coming, surely.

— Tom Hackett (@TomCantHackett) May 24, 2021

Golf fans and experts around the world have questioned whether Finau can win another PGA Tour event, let alone a major. But Finau’s record at major tournaments would suggest that his time will come.

Oh So Close For Finau

Finau has finished in the top 20 on 12 occasions at major tournaments from 21 appearances, 10 of which have been top 10 finishes. He has only missed the cut 4 times throughout his career at majors with his best finish coming in 2019 when he finished in solo 3rd at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club.

At every single major tournament, Finau has finished in the top 5 on one occasion. He has shown that his game is sustainable around the world’s most challenging golf courses.

Best third-round scoring average in majors since 2012
(min 6 rds)

69.5 – Tony Finau
69.6 – Xander Schauffele
69.9 – Jordan Spieth
69.9 – Justin Rose

All players were within 5 shots of the lead entering R3 of The Open

— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) July 20, 2019

Furthermore, the recent victory of 50-year-old Phil Mickelson at the 2021 PGA Championship at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island suggests that through modern technology and medicine the average age of major winners is on the rise. Gifting Finau a few more years to hopefully lift one of golf’s most prized possessions.

In every major tournament, Finau is discussed as one of the players in the field who could make a serious run at winning. It seems though that his constant collapse during Sunday rounds may prohibit him from golf’s ultimate honor.

Finau’s Worthy Game

Finau has all of the physical tools to win a major tournament. His ability to drive the golf ball further than most and accurately is superb, when he is buried in the rough he has the strength to advance the golf ball further than most. He attacks pins and has the touch around the greens to evade disaster. His putting has been the most inconsistent aspect of his game but has shown that he has the ability to catch fire with the short stick.

However, golf, as much as it is a game of physical endurance, is also a test of mental tolerance and unfortunately, Finau has only proved on one occasion that he has the mental fortitude to handle that level of stress and pressure.

In light of Rahm's win at Torrey, here are the highest-ranked players in the world without a major. Getting pretty sparse near the top…

5. Xander Schauffele
7. Patrick Cantlay
11. Tyrrell Hatton
14. Viktor Hovland
15. Tony Finau

— Will Gray (@WillGrayGC) June 21, 2021

Through multiple experiences and heartache, his game has evolved. He is the best version of Tony Finau that the world has ever seen on a golf course. Although, through constant failure, one must assume that the pressure is or already has amassed for Finau.

Will he ever showcase the mental ability on a Sunday at a major tournament and hoist a much eluded major trophy with the sun setting as a backdrop?

The next year will likely prove paramount in Finau’s quest for golf supremacy.