On Sunday, Tony Finau won the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club. The 32-year-old shot a 67 (-5) to finish with a -26, putting him five shots ahead of Patrick Cantlay (66), Cameron Young (68), and Taylor Pendrith (72).
With this victory, he becomes the first PGA Tour golfer in three years to win three consecutive regular-season events. Finau’s second straight victory came last weekend at the 3M Open in Minnesota. Brendon Todd was the last to win two consecutive regular-season races in 2019.
Despite having just recorded three consecutive wins, Finau said he still had something to prove this week.
“After bogeying the 18th hole [at the 3M Open] I had kind of a sour taste in my mouth,” he said. “And I think it just gave me extra motivation to put myself there again this week and just prove to myself the kind of champion that I am and making birdies down the stretch when you really need them.
“So that’s all I tried to do. When I got to 14 tee, my goal was to birdie 14 and 17. If I could do that, I knew I was going to win the golf tournament, and I was able to do that.”
Finau was unstoppable all weekend, hitting 66 of 72 greens. He won the Northern Trust at Liberty National almost exactly one year ago.
“I was just proud of the way I finished. I thought that this week I was able to prove to myself the champion that I feel like I am,” he said.
Finau’s Rocket Mortgage campaign recap
Following a 357-yard drive on the 635-yard par-5 fourth, Finau chipped his third shot to 1 foot and rolled it in for a one-putt birdie. He was then one under for the round.
The Salt Lake City native birdied the 552-yard par-5 seventh after hitting the green in 2 and two putting, moving him to two under for the round.
Finau reached the green in two on the 425-yard par-4 10th hole and sank a 21-foot putt for birdie. Finau was then three under for the round.
The 32-year-old hit the green off the tee on the 233-yard par-3 11th but three-putted after missing a par putt from 8 feet. He finished with a bogey and became two under for the round.
Finau reached the green in two at the 489-yard par-4 12th and rolled a 31-foot putt for a birdie. He was three under for the round.
He birdied the 555-yard par-5 14th after hitting the green in 2 and two putting. He became four under for the round.
Finau hit his drive 352 yards, got to the green in two, and birdied the 577-yard par-5 17th. He was then five under for the round.
Henrik Stenson wins LIV
Meanwhile, Henrik Stenson has won his first LIV Golf event by a two-shot margin in Bedminster. With his debut win, Stenson took home more than $4 million. The Swede’s decision to join the Saudi-backed circuit last week sparked controversy, forcing Ryder Cup Europe to eliminate him as captain.
“I played like a captain,” Stenson said. “I think there might have been a little bit of extra motivation in there this week. When we as players have that, we can bring out the good stuff. I certainly did that this week.”
With an 11-under total score and a two-under 69 on Sunday, the golfer finished first out of 48 players in the third LIV Golf Invitational event.