Excitement for the 2018 Ryder Cup is reaching fever pitch after the 24th and final player was confirmed for the eagerly anticipated competition which takes place in France at Le Golf National in just over two weeks time (28–30 September).
After a week of speculation and Chinese whispers, which was further heightened by the rain delay at the BMW Championship, America captain Jim Furyk opted to select the big-hitting Tony Finau as his fourth pick.
The 28-year-old subsequently joins fellow wildcards Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau in the country’s 12-man team, which also features Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Webb Simpson.
America, who triumphed 17-11 in Hazeltine two years ago, head into the biennial competition bidding to win on European soil for the first time since way back in 1993, having failed to win on any of their last five visits, while 1993 was also the year that the States last successfully defended the coveted trophy following a 15-13 victory at The Belfry.
After edging out wildcard contenders Xander Schauffele and Keegan Bradley, Finau, who finished T8 at the BMW Championship on Monday, will now be hoping he can repay Furyk’s faith by playing a pivotal role in what will be his first Ryder Cup.
“It's a dream come true for me,” said Finau.
“I got the goosebumps when he told me, and I'm excited to add my skills and talent to the team, a team that's stacked already.
“Hopefully I bring something to the team that can help us bring that Cup back.”
Finau may have zero experience of playing in the Ryder Cup but he does jet over to France on the back of a fantastic year, during which he’s captured the attention of the golfing world with a whopping 11 top-10 finishes - no player has accumulated more in that time frame.
The World No.15 has been a prominent presence in golf’s major tournaments, finishing T10 on his Masters debut - despite dislocating his ankle on the eve of the Augusta tournament - which he followed up with a 5th place at the US Open, four shots behind winner Koepka, then T9 at The Open. Finau endured a disappointing start to the PGA Championship, but fired back to hit three rounds in the 60s and card a T42 standing.
The Utah native is also in a hot-streak of form at the moment, impressing in the FedEx Cup Playoffs with a runners-up spot at The Northern Trust, T4 at the Dell Technologies Championship, then T8 at the aforementioned BMW Championship, which represent an eye-catching sequence of results considering he knew he had to perform in order to cement his name in Furyk’s team.
Finau’s stand-out performances in high-pressure and high-profile tournaments will put him in great stead for the pressure pit that is the Ryder Cup. The affable player is also well liked on the tour and his positive personality will be most welcome in the 12 man team. His main strength is of course his immense power - he’s 3rd in driving distance on the PGA Tour - but he’s ranked 12th in Greens in Regulation and 10th in Scoring Average, while his mental strength means he’s a valuable asset to have.
