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SALT LAKE CITY — The bad news: Tony Finau bogeyed two of the last three holes on Friday at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
The good: He’s still just four shots back from the lead.
Even with the late slip-up, the Utah native shot a 1-under-par 70 Friday in the second round of the Open Championship and currently sits in a tie for 12th at 4 under.
Finau has grown used to contending in majors — his recent struggles at this year’s U.S. Open and PGA Championship, aside — and he’s put himself in contention once again this week. The Lehi resident is just four shots back from the leaders, Shane Lowry and J.B. Holmes, entering the third round.
Finau was able to put himself in a good position for the final two rounds even with a bad start and a worse finish on Friday. He bogeyed the first hole — his first bogey of the tournament — and then dropped shots on No. 16 and No. 18.
It wasn’t how Finau wanted to begin or end his round, but he was sensational the rest of the way. Between the seventh and 13th holes, Finau collected four birdies to move him as low as 6-under for the tournament.
Finau was able to take advantage of two par 5's, on No. 7 and No. 12, to get two birdies, and also birdied two par 4's at No. 8 and No. 10.
That run of strong play kept him close to the top of the leaderboard. He entered the day among a large group of players tied for third.
Finau finished his the day with bogeys on No. 13, No. 16 and No. 18 (he did have a birdie No. 15), turning what looked to be fabulous round into one that was merely good.
But it was one that was good enough for him to stay in contention, especially after Lowry, who had reached 10-under-par at one point during the round, bogeyed No. 18 to fall into a tie for the lead at 8-under.
Finau will be looking for his first major victory after getting close a number of times in the past. He finished in fifth at last year’s U.S. Open, and in a tie for ninth at the 2018 Open Championship. He started this year’s majors slate with a tie for fifth at The Masters.
