Tony Finau’s Masters dream is about much more than playing through a freak injury

www.sbnation.com ^ | 4/6/18 | Brendan Porath

[a little elbow grease]

(snip) -- Tony Finau said his opening round 68 was a “miracle” given the pain from a nasty injury …….. during the par-3 contest. But just getting here was an improbable, inspiring story.

Tony Finau turned down the one invite every golfer, from the best pros to high handicap scrubs, covets the most. He took a pass on playing Augusta National.

“I’ve had opportunities to play Augusta, whether it be from a caddie, a member, to go watch as a kid,” he told me. “I’ve had opportunities to step foot on the grounds and play Augusta and watch the Masters. But I always, since I was a kid, I always told myself I am never going to set foot there unless I am playing and a participant.”

So Finau took a pass, repeatedly, on of one of the toughest invites in golf and tickets that go for thousands of dollars every year. After years of playing mini tours and coming up from circumstances the opposite of tony and pristine Augusta National, it became official he’d earned his first spot in a Masters field last fall.

So he decided to make the trip to Augusta. Finau earned an invite to the 2018 Masters last September, when he was one of the final 30 players in the PGA Tour’s FedExCup Playoffs. He went to Augusta the day before Thanksgiving for the first time in his life and played with a member, his dad, and a close friend from Utah.

[a little elbow grease]

"Rory McIlroy on the other hand... wow! And Reed, eagles on both 13 and 15. Should be a heckuva final round tomorrow."

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Patrick and Rory are the final pairing so I see Reed caving a little and Rory winning.

I'm not rooting against Reed at all but I just think tomorrow will be Rory's day.

Maybe Patrick Reed ought to put his wife Justine back on his bag tomorrow for good luck.

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It was reported that if Reed shoots a round in the 60's tomorrow it will be the first time anyone shot four straight 60's rounds in The Masters. That's a little hard to believe.

[a little elbow grease]

This is cool if you want to see it:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/patrick-reed-rory-mcilroy-set-for-masters-duel-in-ryder-cup-rematch-1523154263

Patrick Reed, Rory McIlroy Set for Masters Duel in Ryder Cup Rematch

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3645771/posts

[Freee-dame]

Watch live on Masters.com. No ads and not Tiger all the time.

[a little elbow grease]

Thanks..........

By the way........... can you or anyone tell me WHY this Jon Rahm is currently rated 3rd in the world rankings?

I just looked his "career" up on the internet, and he's done little.

What's with that? He looked great yesterday, but 3rd in the World??

[KSCITYBOY]

They can make it a very tough course.