Bryce Miller: Who is it? Tony Finau knocking on the door again at Torrey Pines.

Bryce Miller, The San Diego Union-Tribune on Feb 15, 2025

Published in Golf

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

SAN DIEGO — That knock on the door sounds familiar. Someone who has been in that spot at Torrey Pines Golf Course before has circled back again.

As the Genesis Invitational roadshow comes to within a round of its Sunday conclusion, the ear markings beyond the tournament’s name delivered the expected.

There’s the Goodyear blip, the weekend blue skies, golfers flocking to one of the most picturesque and challenging locations on the PGA Tour.

That knock? It’s Tony Finau.

Again.

A guy of Samoan descent who grew up in Utah, learning the art of an intriguing activity called traditional fire-knife dancing, counts San Diego as an equally comfortable spot without the unique risk.

“My mom taught me that before I was dribbling a basketball,” Finau said during the golfing run that has taken him to Torrey Pines in consecutive months. “I’ve got plenty of marks all over my body to prove it’s a learning curve.”

Finau played with fire again in a familiar place.

The greenside marksman chipped in three shots within six holes Saturday: 20 feet at No. 3, 14 feet at No. 4 and 28 feet on No. 8.

That allowed Finau to do what he so routinely does in San Diego, sticking his nose in things when the birdies perch along the picturesque cliffside.

“The first two (Saturday) were short chip shots — not that you expect to make those, but you expect to give those a run,” he said. “When I chipped in on 8, that’s not really one you were thinking you’re going to make.

“So I guess the golfing gods were a little bit on my side.”

Perhaps no place in the golf galaxy owes a player a win like Torrey Pines does to Finau.

In 11 trips to the Farmers Insurance Open, he tied for second in a knot with five others as Patrick Reed ran away in 2021. He’s finished in the top 10 six times.

Finau has finished in the top 25 in all but two of his 11 visits to the Farmers.

“At the end of my career, this might be at the top of my list of places I’d be pretty sad not to have one at,” Finau said. “So I’m chasing that every year.”

Finau may not have the climbing shoes to polish off the ascent, but he positioned himself in the top four of an anything-can-happen world.

A shot here. A shot there. Things always seem to be teetering along the edge of narrative change at Torrey Pines.

“I feel like I have hometown vibes when I come here because of the success I’ve had,” Finau said. “I definitely feel the love in San Diego. I love the golf course. The course has been good to me outside of a win.

“I hope that’s coming.”

Leader Patrick Rodgers did his part to tighten things a bit.

Finau trailed by five strokes as Rodgers’ approach shot on 18 caught the front of the green and rolled back into Devlin’s Billabong.

The penalty stroke and his only bogey of the day trimmed the cushion to four. It was a late gift and hiccup that tightened things.

Maybe?

“I don’t know if ‘comfortable’s’ the right word around this place, Torrey South,” Finau said. “But with the experiences that I’ve had, I’ve played some really good rounds. And I’ve shot under par quite a few times, so I think that just gives me some confidence more than anything else.”

Finau guessed he had never chipped in three times during a single round. Turns out, it was only a year ago. He accomplished the trifecta at The Memorial.

Scorecards like those kind of things.

“In those situations, you’ve got to the right bounce, especially when you’re playing on (bumpy) poa annua greens,” Finau said. “You can hit a lot of good chips but the chances of them going in are just low.

“That’s why guys don’t hole out three times in nine holes.”

The toughest of the new trio came on No. 3, Finau said. It was not his farthest effort, but the working area sandwiched between the bunker and green.

Too much oomph and the ball might have rolled to the Salton Sea.

“The first one was probably the toughest,” Finau said. “… There’s only about two yards of rough there, but it’s pretty thick rough. Delicate little shot. I only needed to fly it about two yards, but I needed to put a little bit of spin on it to not go 60 past the hole.

“Came out perfect and trickled right in the hole, so I would say that one on 3 was pretty special.”

The trio of moments around the green shifted the lingering aftertaste of Torrey Pines a few weeks ago, when Finau missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open.

New chance. Same place.

“It’s nice to have a second crack at it,” said Finau, 35, a six-time PGA Tour winner. “I didn’t play my best golf the first time around during the Farmers, but now that we’re here for the Genesis, playing a little bit better and a little bit sharper.

“… We’ll see what that brings tomorrow.”

After all, he’s been here before.