Tony Finau arrived in Minnesota this week on two ends of an interesting perspective.
On one hand, he’s the defending 3M Open champion and the second-highest ranked player in this week’s field at No. 19. That was the first of four wins Finau has posted over the past 13 months.
The most recent of those came just three months ago at the Mexico Open, when he vaulted to No. 11 in the world and was considered one of the hottest players in the world.
However, Finau’s game has fallen on tough times since. In seven starts since that triumph in Mexico, where he held off Jon Rahm, Finau has three missed cuts and no top-20 finishes. He failed to make the weekend at his title defense at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and then again at last week’s Open Championship before heading to Minnesota.
“It’s quite a funny game we play, isn’t it?” Finau said on Tuesday. “(Mexico is) the best golf I’ve played this year and haven’t been in that form really since. It’s hard to put my finger on it.
“The game presents challenges at every turn no matter what, no matter what stage of your career you’re in. I’m at a stage where I have had some nice wins, but haven’t had the consistency that I would like to see from myself over the years.”
The 3M Open is one of two events remaining before the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs. Courtesy of his two wins earlier this season, Finau is in good position in 10th place in the standings despite his recent struggles.
Of more concern is his chances of making the United States Ryder Cup team. Finau currently sits in 19th place in the U.S. team standings, well out of the top six automatic spots on captain Zach Johnson’s team.
Finau has two Ryder Cups under his belt, and is hoping that experience will count strongly in his favor when Johnson makes his six captain’s picks next month. Having been a captain’s pick twice before already, Finau understands he needs to make the most of every opportunity between now and then.
“I’ve been in this type of position before, you know, where probably on the outside looking in,” he said. “Going to have to play some good golf over these next few weeks and make my case.”
“I think if winning and experience holds a lot of weight, then I feel like I’ve done enough. If consistency and form is the formula that the captains are looking for, then the answer’s probably no.
“That’s how I see it, I’m looking at it.”
Johnson hasn’t spoken specifically on the criteria that will weigh most heavily on his decision. He does have a very deep group of talented players to choose from, and that pool only got deeper when Wyndham Clark won the U.S. Open to claim an automatic spot and with Rickie Fowler’s resurgence moving him to 12th in the standings.
Other Ryder Cup veterans who don’t currently have an automatic spot but are ahead of Finau in the standings include Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas — although Finau’s recent struggles pale in comparison to Thomas’.
“The great thing for me is the picks aren’t tomorrow, the picks are still in about a month,” Finau said. “I’ve got four tournaments to make my case if there is a question and that’s what I intend to do.”
–Field Level Media