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BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

September 17, 2017

Tony Finau

Carmel, Indiana

Q. Started the week 39th in FedExCup. We now probably comfortably on the inside to Atlanta. The chip-in on 18 was huge.
TONY FINAU: I knew 13 was going to be a really good number. When I made the turn, I knew I had to make a few more birdies and just -- you know, obviously I was nervous out there.

I think the tee shot on 18 showed that. But I was very fortunate to get the drop just to have a chip again to 13 was everything and I really took my time. I tried to read the break and kind of knew it was all or nothing shot.

To see it go in was -- man, the feeling that I have is pretty fantastic. Still a little bit of golf to be played. I don't want to get ahead of myself. I'm really happy with where I'm at.

Q. Sometimes the rules work in your favor.
Actually close to the bunker and you had a TIO in front of you, scoreboard, temporary immovable obstruction.

You had the wherewithal and the presence to ask for a ruling and it turns out your nearest point of relief was a tremendous break for you and you took advantage of it.

TONY FINAU: I wanted to get my options. I had a decent lie over there. It was a shot I was able to take relief from the scoreboard. The rules worked in my favor for sure. I'm happy I took my time on 18 and hopefully that birdie is going to mean something.

Q. Listen to these numbers. You had 20 putts in the final round, you had 119 feet two inches in putts and, in fact, you took 3-putts, a total of 3-putts on your final four holes.
TONY FINAU: That's incredible. That's awesome. I got up and down when I needed to coming down the stretch.

Again, you know, I think if I wasn't nervous I would be worried because I know I'm not caring enough. I was able to just somehow get it in the hole when I needed to and, yeah, it's such a gratifying feeling right now. Hopefully it all pans out for me and I end up at East Lake next week.

Q. Tony, you started the week on the outside looking in and now it looks like you're projected inside. What does that feel like to you, the waiting game?
TONY FINAU: It feels to be good in this position. I'd rather be waiting on the inside instead the outside. You know, we'll wait and see what happens.

But I did my best out there today to just put myself in this position. I knew what I had to do starting on the first hole and was able to get off to a really nice start early and just ran the momentum all the way to the end.

Q. Talk us through the last hole, were the nerves in play?
TONY FINAU: Yeah. I think my tee shot showed for sure, I was very nervous. I knew what was at stake. You try your best in those situations to not think about it. You know, it was definitely in the back of my mind. Didn't hit a very good tee shot.

I took my time with the ruling and was able to get a really fortunate drop and after I hit that tee shot I was a lot more calm. Able to -- to have a chip for birdie, I thought 13 would be a great number to get to. The chip from that distance was a bonus for me after that tee shot. So, to have it play out that way and the rules in my favor, it was huge.

Q. Was there a point during the middle of the round where your perspective kind of changed to, man, this is within reach?
TONY FINAU: Not in the middle of the round. When I got to about 14, 15, that's when I knew I could do something -- I could do that damage coming in, have some scoring holes coming in.

Yeah, I just -- I felt like 13 was going to be a great number. If I got there, let's get to 14, 15, coming in.

It was about right around there I need more like 14, 15. I knew I had a chance with the start I got off to.

Q. Do you remember the last time you had 20 putts for a round?
TONY FINAU: It's been a long time. I switched conventional putting last tournament at the Deutsche Bank. It was a decision I just felt like I needed to make.

Feels very natural to me and putted cross-hand for about four years and it was fine but I just felt like I needed a change and looks like I made the right change.

Q. Week-in and week-out talk about battling nerves, to channel that in a positive way. What did you prove to yourself down the stretch?
TONY FINAU: Man, I've been proving it to myself my whole life, you can overcome obstacles and, you know, there's going to be a lot of doubt, lot of fear but I think if you have more faith it will overcome those things.

I felt like I could do what I did today. I didn't put myself in great situations after the first two Playoff events so I wasn't very happy about that.

But to come here and do this this week feels great. Again, still some golf to be played but I'm happy to be sitting on the inside instead of the outside.

Q. You said still golf to be played today. What would making East Lake mean for you in terms of setting up the 2018 schedule?
TONY FINAU: Mean everything. The four Majors, four WGCs. To have those locked in next year would be huge. You play to play against the best players in the world and get in those fields. Next season is something that hopefully happens and I look forward to that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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