Tony Finau is not playing golf at this week’s Workday Charity Open.
He is playing some kind of golf.
On Friday, Finau obliterated his course record at Victory Ranch Golf Club in Park City, Utah. He was an incredible 14-under through 16 holes – eight birdies and three eagles! – before settling for a 13-under 59, three shots better than the 62 he had previously shot.
On Saturday, Finau obliterated a golf ball. His swing sent it soaring with a ball speed of a whopping 206 mph (and it carried 383 yards). Last year, for comparison, the highest recorded ball speed on the PGA Tour was Cameron Champ’s 198.91, while Finau’s highest was 187.60. One swing, nearly 20 mph difference.
“I haven’t had like a really breakout round, I feel, that gets me like, all right, we’re back,” Finau said after the third round of last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic. “But I think I’m really close to putting together some great golf again and that’s exciting for me.”
Really, really close.
On Friday, Finau was 12-under through 15 holes after the eighth birdie of his round and 14-under after 16 holes after the third eagle. He bogeyed 17 – “250 yard par 3 in my defense,” he wrote on a video of the round posted to his Instagram story – and parred 18 for the 59.
“Thanks for following,” Finau wrote on one clip of his Instagram story. “Shooting in the 50s is rare and I’ll take em when I can get em.
“Side note to that round. I played the ball as it lies in every situation and finished everything,” Finau wrote on another clip. “No covid rules. True course records are from the tips and no gimmes.”
On Saturday, Finau wanted only a high number.
He took a full swing on the tee shot, took a quick look at the launch monitor and then took off in celebration.
“Let’s go!” he yelled.
“206,” a voice said in the background, referring to the ball speed.
“No, 206?” Finau responded.
Finau knew whom to tag on his Instagram post.
“Inspired by @brysondechambeau to see how much I got in the tank,” Finau wrote of Bryson DeChambeau, a ball speed connoisseur.
“Uh oh hahah,” DeChambeau responded.
