Genesis Invitational: Tony Finau finds positives from play-off loss and latest PGA Tour near-miss
Max Homa secured a second PGA Tour victory after defeating Tony Finau in a play-off at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club; Finau remains without a PGA Tour victory since the 2016 Puerto Rico Open
By Ali Stafford
Last Updated: 22/02/21 6:07am
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Tony Finau remains adamant a long-awaited second PGA Tour win is getting closer after narrowly missing on Genesis Invitational victory.
Finau overturned a four-stroke deficit during the final day at Riviera Country Club, posting a round-of-the-day 64 to set the clubhouse target at 12 under and join Max Homa in a play-off.
The world No 15 missed a birdie opportunity from eight feet on the first extra hole and then bogeyed the second, allowing Homa to seal victory and his first win since 2019 with a two-putt par.
4:07 "It's bittersweet to be in this position again, but I never get tired of playing good golf and that's what I tell myself every week," Finau said after his play-off loss.
"Sport is about winning, I've said that many times. I grew up trying to win every tournament I play, every tournament I play and nothing's changed. I know at the end of the day you're going to lose a lot more times than you're going to win on the PGA Tour.
"Unfortunately for me that's come really close in the last few years, but I always challenge myself to play good golf and that's all I try to do. I'm not a quitter, I'm not someone that's going to fade away into the sunset because I can't win in these situations.
"I had another great shot today. I don't know what else I can say other than I enjoy playing good golf and one of these days it will happen for me and hopefully turn into kind of a domino effect."
Homa had missed a three-foot birdie opportunity to win the title on the 72nd hole, having to settle for a bogey-free 66, then scrambled a par on the first extra hole despite seeing his tee shot finish against a tree.
1:48 "I don't know if I could ever do anything cooler in golf than this," Homa said. "Just for me, for my caddie Joe, we were raised 25 miles north of here.
"I mean, Tiger Woods is handing us a trophy, that's a pretty crazy thought. We grew up idolizing him, idolizing Riviera Country Club, idolizing the golf tournament. To get it done, it's almost shocking, but it feels like it just can't be topped for me."
Homa's previous PGA Tour victory came at the 2019 Wells Fargo Championship, while Finau remains without a win since his breakthrough success at the 2016 Puerto Rico Open.
