Tony Finau’s hopes of a top-10 placement in a fourth straight major tournament were pretty much gone as of Saturday morning, when he completed a second-round 75 at Augusta National Golf Club. What’s left for Finau is merely finishing as the top Utahn in the Masters.
The West High School graduate is tied for 44th place at 1 under par for the tournament, one stroke behind Sandy resident Mike Weir, entering Sunday’s final round. Each player posted a 1-under-par 71 in the third round after barely making the 36-hole cut.
The 50-year-old Weir is tied for 36th after birdieing his last hole (No. 9). While making annual appearances at Augusta National as the 2003 champion, Weir has not finished better than a tie for 43rd since 2008.
Playing regularly as a PGA Tour Champions rookie clearly helped Weir prepare for the 2020 Masters. He played 27 holes in 3 under par Saturday, highlighted by the unlikely achievement of two birdies on No. 1. Weir began the day in the No. 1 fairway, after Friday’s play was halted due to darkness.
Weir completed that hole with a birdie; he also birdied the par-5 No. 8, giving himself some cushion to make the 36-hole cut for the first time since 2014. He started the third round on No. 10 and made six birdies, balanced by five bogeys — including three in a row on his second nine, due mostly to poor putting.
Finau’s inability to convert birdie opportunities almost kept him from advancing to the last two rounds. He resumed the second round on the No. 12 green by missing a 12-foot birdie attempt, then settled for pars on the next three holes when he had chances to make a big move. Finau bogeyed No. 17 from a greenside bunker and had to agonize about making the cut for the 16th time in 19 major tournaments, even after finishing with a routine par.
In the third round, Finau made four birdies and three bogeys. The Utahns will tee off on No. 10 again Sunday. Weir plays at 6:23 a.m. MST; Finau goes at 6:56 a.m. MST.
