#Tony Finau hopes to show he can close with PGA Championship win

Finau knows this. That’s why he understands why the question about his inability to close the deal and win tournaments is coming.

The affable 30-year-old of Tongan and Samoan descent, who grew up in Salt Lake City and is one of longest hitters on the PGA Tour, has authored a remarkable 30 top-10 finishes since the only PGA Tour victory of his career — the 2016 Puerto Rico Open, which is an opposite-field event and not exactly steeped in prestige.

“There has been a little talk about my ability to finish,’’ Finau said in advance of Thursday’s opening round of the PGA Championship at Harding Park. “It’s definitely not anything I shy away from. My coach and I have done our homework on my finishes, and I’ve actually got a great record on Sunday. It seems to always be that there’s one or two guys on Sunday that play better than I do.’’

Finau is mostly correct in his assessment. He hasn’t blown tournaments with the theatrics of Jean van de Velde (’99 British Open) or Greg Norman (’96 Masters). He hasn’t thrown up on himself on Sundays.

For example, in the final rounds of his 15 top-10s since 2018, he’s shot in the 60s nine times and never posted anything higher than 73. But what Finau hasn’t done is seize the moments, been the guy who plays better than everyone else when it matters most.

Since 2016, Finau is one of five players who’ve posted 30 or more top-10 finishes. Justin Thomas has 38 of them, but has won 13 times in that span and is ranked No. 1 in the world. Dustin Johnson has 30 of them, but has won nine times in that span. Rory McIlroy has 33 of them and has won five times, and Jon Rahm has 33 of them and won four times.

Those are damning comparative numbers when you consider Finau’s 30 top-10s include no wins.

The conflict in Finau’s mind is how he compartmentalizes the negative and positive, and which to put more emphasis on: Having played consistently enough to produce those 30 top-10s or not having enough of what it takes to win any of those 30 tournaments.

“It’s definitely a badge of honor just in how consistent I continue to play … [and it’s] a little bit of an annoyance because I look at a few of the opportunities I had to kind of shine and wasn’t able to do that,’’ Finau said. “I think throughout the 30 top-10s I’ve had, I’ve had maybe six or seven seconds [six], and out of those I’ve truly felt like on the back nine I’ve only had a grasp of the trophy maybe three or four times.’’

Gary Woodland, who captured his first career major championship at last year’s U.S. Open, has been friends with Finau for some 13 years, dating back to the days when they were trying to Monday qualify into tournaments together. Even he’s perplexed by Finau’s lack of victories.

“We were talking, a lot of guys on the Presidents Cup last year, [and] we were shocked to only know that he had won once,’’ Woodland said. “It just feels like he’s been out here forever and he’s won a million times. It’s only a matter of time.

“Sometimes it’s a mental hurdle. I was 0-for-7 going into the U.S. Open last year, and I woke up Sunday morning believing it was my time. Sometimes it takes that for some guys. It’s a belief. Sometimes you press, you try to be perfect, you live for the results instead of sticking to the process and realize, ‘I’m getting better and today is my day.’

“Soon. Soon, Tony will be there.’’

Maybe it’ll be this week at Harding Park, where Finau’s length figures to be a major advantage.

“I’m at the top of leaderboards quite often, and when I get the job done again in the near future, I think we’ll be having a different narrative,’’ Finau said.

“I think he’s just trying to figure it out a little bit more as he’s going along here … [and] he will,’’ said Steve Stricker, the Ryder Cup captain who has a close eye on Finau as one of his potential six captain’s picks for 2021. “I know he wants to get these wins as much as anybody, and I think [if] he pops off and wins another one, I can see the floodgates opening for him.’’

From Stricker’s lips to Finau’s ears.

“I look at myself as a closer and as a finisher,’’ Finau said. “Through time, I think I’ll be able to prove that.’’

Then maybe he can be compared with Rivera, the Yankees’ legendary closer, for all the right reasons.