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“I’ve let a few go so far this week, and it’s been pretty fun for me to kind of reach back more so than I have in the past and kind of open up and hit some,” he added. “I don’t really ever go out at 100 percent when I’m playing tournament golf, but I would say this is the first time I’ve had some close to about 90 percent these first couple days. I rarely even swing probably over 80, 85 percent because I don’t feel like I have enough control over the golf ball.
“But after putting some extra time into that part of my game last week with my coach, I decided to let a few fly these first couple days, and it’s been pretty fun for the most part and going pretty straight.”
Finau says it’s not rocket science; he is simply just swinging harder. But he’s still trying to find the sweet spot of speed and accuracy. He hit just five of 14 fairways in round one and six in round two yet was second in the field in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee in the opening round and has gained over two and half strokes on the field so far through the opening two rounds.
“I’ve got so much in the tank that I leave out. The result for me to try it hit it further is my swing just goes back a little bit further,” he explained. “It’s not something that I think about; it’s just something that happens when I try and hit it harder. I just stand over it and say I’m going to hit this one a little harder.
“I’m still figuring it out. I don’t know the exact balance. But the good thing is I’ve got that extra in the tank when I need it on certain holes. To fly a bunker on a handful of these holes I’ve got to kind of reach back and give it that extra. So it’s nice to have that in the tank, but it definitely is a balance, not overdoing it and losing that accuracy.”
While his social media accounts gave a warning to his speed, they also showed his form coming to Muirfield Village was pretty decent. Last Friday Finau and his coach played a round at Victory Ranch Golf Club in Park City Utah where he resides with their kids.
Finau shot 59, beating the old course record of 62 he had set previously, and shared it online. It could have been even better given he was 14 under on the par-72 layout through 16 holes before a bogey on the 250-yard par-3 17th.
“It kind of just told me how good I am at scoring the golf ball. I don’t know how many times I’ve been 14-under through 16 holes on a good golf course. But it told me I was in good form,” Finau smiled recalling the day out.
“I definitely carried some of that right into this week, and that confidence I think is pretty cool. It’s only the second time I’ve ever shot in the 50s, so that was quite fun to have my boy there and some of his crew with me.”
Finau is chasing his second PGA TOUR win after claiming the 2016 Puerto Rico Open. He’s had six runner up and two third place finishes since that victory. If he does win at Jack’s Place don’t be surprised to see a few more TOUR players start to search for more speed.
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Source: PGA tour
