Finau rides the wave

Tony Finau, whose victory at The Northern Trust on Monday was his first in 1,975 days since the 2016 Puerto Rico Open, is one of 12 players tied for seventh with a 5-under 67. His back nine was a roller-coaster of sorts with three consecutive birdies between Nos. 10 and 12, a bogey and double bogey on Nos. 13 and 14 respectively, and three more birdies between Nos. 15 and 17.

“Hiccups on 13 and 14, not what I was looking for after really just kind of cruising through the round and playing really nicely,” the 31-year-old Utah native said. “But that putt on 15 I thought was huge, to bounce back with a birdie. A great up-and-down on 16 and then a great birdie on 17. I thought par on 18 was important, as well, just to finish off that little stretch.”