World No. 1 Scheffler drops Colonial in a playoff

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Tony Finau had thousands of messages when he finally grabbed his phone after breaking a five-year win drought at THE NORTHERN TRUST to take the lead in the FedExCup race, but one name stood out from the pack. Tiger Woods. The 82-time PGA TOUR winner – who is still recovering from a car accident in February – made sure Finau knew he was watching his steely performance down the stretch at Liberty National where he bested Cameron Smith in a playoff. “One of the very first (messages) was from Tiger, and that was a very special one. He was just explaining to me that he was proud of me and the fight and grit that I had. That was obviously a very, very special one for me to see,” Finau said from Caves Valley Golf Club in Maryland where he takes the FedExCup lead into this week’s BMW Championship. “He was one of the first, which means he was watching, which for me is very, very cool. I have to throw that out there as probably right at the top. And then countless athletes. Donovan Mitchell is an amazing basketball player for the Utah Jazz. Being a Jazz fan, that was a cool one for me. My buddy Mike Conley, who’s a point guard for the Jazz… but those are just a few of I feel like so many people. It’s been really cool to see how many are following my career and are generally happy for this victory.” Finau’s second TOUR win came 1,975 days after his first at the Puerto Rico Open of 2016 and he’d notched up 39 Top-10s without winning since. That included eight runner ups. As one of the nice guys on TOUR the love came thick and fast when he closed the deal. “I’ve kind of starved a lot of my fans and supporters of a win for five years, so this one is special in that I’ve gained a lot of fans in these five years, and to be able to share this with so many people has been very, very special,” Finau added. “It’s just pretty amazing how many people were willing to reach out and just show their support and how happy they were for me… Selfishly I want to win, and of course that’s a really cool thing, but to be able to see how many people have enjoyed this win for me, my family, my friends, it’s been really, really cool for me.” The Utah native revealed he celebrated with a steak dinner before loading up again on McDonalds at 3a.m. when the adrenalin didn’t allow him to sleep. It had been a long time since he’d allowed his body to soak up that much fast food. “I had a lot. I ordered a Big Mac, I had a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and then 10 chicken nuggets,” he revealed. “It reminds me of when I was a kid… and I had a large fry with an Oreo McFlurry and a bottled water. I had no problem cleaning all of it up.” Finau now turns his attention to winning the FedExCup but first he looks to keep top spot on the points list with another big performance at the BMW Championship. Should he do that he will head to East Lake with the maximum head start – beginning the TOUR Championship at 10-under in the chase for the $15million bonus and coveted title. If he wins it all there’s no telling how much McDonalds he might demolish.

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OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. — Dustin Johnson faced long odds all day against Jordan Spieth until the longest drive led to an unlike playoff victory Sunday in THE NORTHERN TRUST. Johnson rallied from a five-shot deficit on the front nine. And on the final hole in regulation, he curled in an 18-foot birdie putt that swirled around the cup and fell in the back to match Spieth’s two-putt par from 75 feet. Returning to the 18th hole in a playoff, Johnson took on the lake with a 341-yard tee shot that left him a lob wedge to 4 feet. Spieth couldn’t make a 25-foot birdie, and Johnson rolled it in for his fourth victory of the year. The opening FedExCup Playoffs event featured two of the biggest names in golf who put on a show.

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