Toni Finau wins PGA Tour playoff

Golf. Photo: Robert Ruggiero

NEW JERSEY. — At the Northern Trust Tournament, in a sudden death playoff between Toni Finau and Cameron Smith on the 18th, Smith hit his ball out of bounds then his provisional ball landed in the trap off the tee. Finau found a sliver of a green from his vantage point on the tee box when he had the honor of hitting first. The playoff was essentially over before it started.

Finau’s second shot landed squarely on the green as did Smith’s third. Finau’s first put was three feet short of the hole then he hit it in for the win to end the round with a 65.

After 143 starts and over 5 years since a big win, Finau said to CBS after sinking his put, “It feels amazing, it took just about everything I had. I was able to do it, Man, I just fought and this is pretty cool to be standing here.”

He’s now atop of the FedEx Cup standings.

Finau rarely misses a Friday night cut or an appearance on a weekend leaderboard. From Salt Lake City, Finau lives in Lehi with his wife Elana and their five children.