THE NORTHERN TRUST

August 20, 2021

Tony Finau

Liberty National Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. How would you assess the round?

TONY FINAU: I played really nicely. I wanted to make that par save on the last. I knew 18 was playing really tough, in off the left, 490-yard hole. It's a big hole today. Hit a nice bunker shot and missed the putt.

I played really nicely. I made some putts. Hit a lot of fairways. So I think if you do that on this golf course, you're going to have a lot of looks because of how receptive the greens are.

Q. You've had an average summer by your standards. What's been off that started clicking this week?

TONY FINAU: I made some putts, I think was the biggest thing, and hitting some fairways. You never know on any given week when it's going to click.

I feel like I've played some nice golf. My last couple tournaments, the results haven't shown I've played great, but I've played some really clean golf. I felt like I was really close to putting it all together, and so far this week, after 36 holes, I've kind of done that. I've played some clean golf and more putts have dropped, so you kind of find yourself at the top of the leaderboard when that happens.

Q. You've been in this position as far as The Ryder Cup goes. Is it easy for you to keep that out of the back of your mind, or is it a challenge?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, I think I have experience being in this position before. I would say it's in the back of my mind, but pretty far in the back of my mind. I think the FedExCup and just every day I know is a big day. I approach it as that.

And for the most part, you try to have your game do the talking. At this point, I think that's what it's all about. Everybody wants to make the team. I'm included in that. I would love to be a part of that team. But at this point in the season, our games have to do the talking and I'm happy with the start of the Playoffs, and I've got to keep playing well I think to make the team.

Q. On the subject of keeping things in the back of your mind, how difficult is it for you to, when you get into contention like this going into a weekend, just think about the process as opposed to think about the overall result and trying to get that next win?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, you just try and learn. I feel like I've learned a lot being in this position before, not talking about The Ryder Cup, just in general at the top of the leaderboard with 36 holes to play, my game is in a good place. Every opportunity is different. Even though some may feel the same, it's a new opportunity. I've got to approach it as that, and the game is in a good place with 36 holes to go, and it's a golf course that's going to be receptive.

So guys are going to go low. So I got off to a great start, but I'm going to have to continue to make birdies if I'm going to win this golf tournament.

Q. How motivated are you to get that next win so you can stop hearing about wins from idiots like us?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, I'm motivated to win. I think whatever else comes with that, and you guys can stop talking about, whatever comes with it, it comes with it.

To me I'm more motivated to win. I've worked extremely hard on my body, on my mind, and I've done a lot of work on myself to just be better and try to be a better person and be a better golfer. I feel like I've accomplished some of those things, and hopefully getting a W just for myself to feel accomplished would be a great thing.

Q. How would you describe Kevin as a player?

TONY FINAU: It's so much fun to watch him play. The places he got up-and-down from the last couple days were unbelievable. I've played with him enough to know when he's playing well, those are automatic things. My caddie and I joke around watching him around the greens, doesn't matter where he hits it, he's going to get up-and-down, and sometimes he's going to chip in.

18, you're dead over there, he has to hit this high-flop shot, stop it on a dime, hits it to two feet. He was doing that the last couple days. But he's such a great player, gritty player, and we had that kind of MoJo together which was nice, and we both played some nice golf the first 36.