Finau finishes 8th in Vegas

LAS VEGAS — When Tony Finau rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt at No. 9 — his third birdie in a row Friday afternoon — he was just one shot off the lead and that much closer to winning $2 million.

He said he wasn't thinking about the big bucks at the time, but what happened at the next hole cost him any chance of pocketing the $2 million prize in the winner-take-all Ultimate game at Wynn Las Vegas.

At the par-5, 595-yard 10th hole, Finau's drive went right, landing under a tree and forcing him to punch out. From there he hit a shot that stayed on the tree line, landing in the shredded bark. Then it was over the green, back onto the green and two putts for a double bogey on a hole that most players birdied.

Although Finau came back with an eagle at the par-5 12th hole to stay in contention, his adventure at No. 10 and at No. 4, where he also made double bogey, left the 17-year-old no chance to catch former San Diego State golfer Scott Piercy, who pocketed the $2 million with a barrage of birdies at the end.

Finau finished with a 2-over-par 72 and a 141 total, which was eight strokes behind Piercy, who finished with five birdies on the last seven holes. But it didn't matter that Finau ended up eighth in the 12-man field — eighth was as good as second since no one got paid except the winner.

"It would have been nice to bring the $2 million check home," Finau said. "But after this tournament, I feel like I can really compete with these guys. I could have done better, but I think I showed everybody I can play with some of the best players."

In the end it was Finau's reckless driving off the tee that cost him Friday. After only missing a couple of fairways Thursday, he constantly found himself in the trees or beyond, both left and right of the fairway, all day Friday.

"A couple of holes cost me big, a couple of them helped me," Finau said of his drives. He hit driver on 12 of the 14 non-par-3s and later acknowledged, "I've got to be a lot more patient."

For the second day in a row, Finau likely had the biggest gallery of any of the participants with his parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, uncles, cousins of uncles — you name it — following him.

He started two shots behind first-round leader Byron Smith, who was in the final group with Piercy and local favorite Ken Jarner, who worked as a caddy at the Club.

Finau said he felt a little nervous at the start, which may have led to a bogey at No. 3 and a double bogey at No. 4 when he pulled his drive left under a tree and had to punch onto an adjoining fairway.