Tony Finau tied his career-best on the PGA Tour with an 8-under 62, taking a two-stroke lead into the weekend in hopes of winning back-to-back Houston Open titles. The World No. saw 1 Scottie Scheffler had his streak reach 28 rounds under par on his last hole. A double bogey that included three putts from 2 meters left him with a par 70, although he is just four behind in his attempt at a third straight victory on the PGA Tour after Arnold Palmer and the TPC.
Finau spent time after his opening round to work on his putting with coach Boyd Summerhays, and it paid off big time. He holed three putts from 40 feet or more, and chipped in from 40 feet for eagle on the par-5 8th. And he barely missed an 18-foot putt on his final hole, the par-3 9th , for a 61. which marks his lowest round on the PGA Tour.
This is the sixth time he has achieved a score of 62, the last at the last Houston Open. Finau has a total of 131 hits (-9). Alejandro Tosti, a PGA Tour rookie from Argentina, with a 67, is two strokes behind. Finau won the Houston Open in November 2022 and had to wait 16 months to defend it because the tournament was moved to the spring, before the Masters. Finau opened with a 69 on Thursday and then went straight to the putting green with Summerhays.
Scheffler braved the strong afternoon wind and held on, challenging Finau for the lead. But in the final three holes he barely saved par on 16 after going into the water, he birdied from outside on 17 and finished the day with three putts and a double bogey-6 on 18.
Tom Hoge bounced back from a slow start with a 66 to move into the group at 3-under 137. Hoge only needs to finish fifth to have a mathematical chance of breaking into the top 50 in the world rankings after this week and earning Masters invitation.
USA Open champion Wyndham Clark, who was dealing with a back problem after practicing earlier in the week, finished with a bogey for the second round in a row, having to settle for a 68 that left him seven behind. Finau’s back shot.
Wilson Furr, who shared the lead after 18 holes with Taylor Moore, didn’t make a birdie in his round of 75 and was eight shots behind Finau.
Source: La Verdad
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