Tony Finau’s second Texas Children’s Houston Open title slipped away Saturday at Memorial Park, punctuated by an unusual mental lapse that summed up his frustrating day.
Finau, who started the third round at 5 under and six shots behind leader Min Woo Lee, was holding steady at even par for his round when he reached the par-3 15th hole. After missing a 4-foot par putt, Finau’s concentration momentarily abandoned him.
Instead of resetting with his normal routine, he casually attempted to backhand the 3-inch comeback putt. The rushed stroke barely moved the ball halfway to the hole. His next tap-in completed an unfortunate double bogey that effectively ended any remaining championship hopes.
Name
Events
Top 10
Money
Tony Finau
262
64
$43,085,471
To his credit, Finau responded with back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17, showing the resilience that’s made him a six-time PGA Tour winner. But the damage was done.
His even-par 70 leaves him playing for FedEx Cup points in Sunday’s final round rather than challenging for the trophy he previously claimed in 2022. It’s a reminder that even the world’s best players occasionally suffer mental lapses that prove costly on golf’s biggest stages.
