Tony Finau wins Puerto Rico Open to break PGA Tour duck
Monday 28 March 2016 13:37, UK
Tony Finau secured his first PGA Tour title after a three-hole play-off against Steve Marino at the Puerto Rico Open.
Finau and Marino matched one another with birdies at the 18th on their first two play-off holes, but Marino could only make five third time around and Finau's sand save birdie proved enough to claim the title.
The 23-year-old blasted out of the back bunker to three feet, while Marino was just off the back edge of the green in two, but he left his putt from the fringe almost five feet short and missed his birdie try to the right.
That left Finau to tap in to secure the $540,000 first prize after he had appeared to blow the chance of a maiden victory during regulation play.
"In regulation, it was a putt that I kind of dreamed of making my whole life," Finau said.
"It's a putt that you practice for your first PGA Tour victory or just for any PGA Tour victory, so I was a little bit bummed that it sneaked by the hole because I hit a really good putt. But I was happy I had another chance at it and was able to make the second one."
Finau was one behind overnight leader Ian Poulter but two birdies in the first five holes took him to the top of the leaderboard.
Poulter dropped a shot at the fourth before responding with a birdie at the fifth, but the rest of the round would prove very frustrating for the Englishman.
He missed a number of chances on the greens and would end up with 13 straight pars to finish on 11 under, one stroke behind Finau and Marino.
Finau had taken a two-shot lead with a birdie at the 10th, but he dropped shots at the 11th and 15th and needed a birdie at the last to claim outright victory, only for a wayward approach to see him settle for par and a play-off.
Marino started the day tied with Finau and carded a matching round of 70, although his play improved on the back nine after he lost ground with two birdies and two bogeys before the turn.
He picked up three shots coming home, including a birdie at the last to reach 12 under and join Finau.
Poulter finished in a tie for third with Mexico's Rodolfo Cazaubon, who had five birdies and a bogey in his closing round of 68 to finish on 11 under.
Andres Romero made the biggest move among the leaders, shooting 67 to move up into a tie for fifth alongside Canada's Nick Taylor (70) and American Scott Brown (71).
