DETROIT – With his second PGA TOUR victory in as many weeks at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, there is almost no scenario in which Tony Finau will not make the U.S. Presidents Cup Team, which will take on the International Team at Quail Hollow Club, Sept. 22-25.
Still, he figures he has work to do even after shooting 26 under par to blow away the field at Detroit Golf Club. That’s because only six players will make the team on points, leaving U.S. Captain Davis Love III (who missed the cut at the Rocket Mortgage) to pick the other six.
“To make those teams is really hard,” Finau said after beating Patrick Cantlay, Taylor Pendrith and Cameron Young by five. “There’s so many great players. I think one of the great players, Cameron Young, was chasing me down today. You’re going to see these guys win a lot, they’re amazing golfers. So, for me, I have that goal every year to make these teams on points.”
Finau has a handful of fellow multiple winners this season ahead of him in the Presidents Cup standings, including Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns and Xander Schauffele. Cantlay, who posted his TOUR-leading 10th top-10 finish in Detroit, is up there, as is Justin Thomas. With two victories in two weeks, Finau is up to sixth in the standings, just behind Thomas.
The top six in points through the BMW Championship, the second event of the FedExCup Playoffs, will make the team automatically. Love makes his six picks the Monday after the TOUR Championship, Aug. 29.
“I’ve been selected in the past,” Finau said. “One of my goals is to make the Presidents Cup team by points. These last two weeks, I think, were huge in earning my spot. I think everybody earns their spot to a certain extent, but I truly want to earn my spot by earning enough points to just qualify for the team this year. I’ve got a couple more tournaments to kind of prove myself.”
