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CHARLES SCHWAB CHALLENGE

May 24, 2019

Tony Finau

Fort Worth, Texas

Q. Second round 68; 64 in the morning yesterday when it was a little bit more calm. How much more challenging is this golf course in the afternoon?
TONY FINAU: Yeah, a lot more challenging. The wind picked up probably double what we had to deal with yesterday morning, so having to hit a lot of knock-down shots and just kind of judge the wind downwind, crosswind, into the wind.

A lot tougher this afternoon.

Q. You talked about switching to that claw grip. First time you've done it in a tournament but you have practiced with it. What pushed you over the top?
TONY FINAU: Yeah, just the way I felt over it. Felt like the most important thing to me is do I feel like I'm going to make the putt when I am standing over it. Not quite the case the last couple weeks, so I felt like I needed to switch something up. Also made a putter change, so a couple of those things have helped me this week so far.

Q. Talk about this being a ball-strikers' course, but you said yesterday you still feel aggressive with the driver. You feel like you can go after these holes?
TONY FINAU: Yeah. I push it up there quite a bit. Hit a lot more drivers than you think, but it's a golf course that allows you to do that. That's why it draws such a great crowd and great players.

Q. I know yesterday's score was better, but this 68 you shot today was well fought for. You earned every bit of that 2-under par round.
TONY FINAU: I did. Thank you. It was a lot tougher than it was yesterday. The wind was about twice as much as the wind we dealt with yesterday morning. I was able to control the golf ball for the most part, and when I needed a crucial par save or bogey save, I made it.

Those are things you need to do to be in contention, and I'm happy with the result today.

Q. 8 of 9 scrambling. You only hit 9 greens, but you can talked about your ability to make pars, and in particular, 14. You miss it left in that little grove of trees. You got 21 feet and make the putt.
TONY FINAU: That was huge. 14 and 17 were huge for me to walk away with pars there. Shot even par on my front nine. Nine straight pars. It was a hard-fought nine pars.

I was happy with the front nine and I was able to birdie my 10th hole, which was No. 1, and kind of get myself started off on the right foot on the back nine.

Q. And gaining confidence with that claw grip.
TONY FINAU: Yeah, I feel good. Feel good over it. Most important thing for me when I'm over a putt is do I feel like I'm going to make it. Feel comfortable with the claw. It's been nice to hit some putts that go in. Those are the putts I haven't really been making all this year, so it's pretty cool.

Q. Conditions in the afternoon, how would you sum up? 2-under obviously must be pretty pleased.
TONY FINAU: Yeah, really happy with the final result of the round. The wind was probably twice as much as it was yesterday. Just dealing with that every hole, the wind downwind, crosswind, it's tough to hit shots, tough to putt when it's blowing that much.

But happy with the result and look forward to the weekend.

Q. Which half of your round would you say you are more pleased with?
TONY FINAU: Oh, the first half. Sure. The front nine I had crucial saves on 14 and 17. Right off the bat No. 10 as well. I hit it into a plugged lie right off the bat on 10 and got it up and down, so I had some really crucial par saves I feel like I needed on my front nine.

I would say that was definitely the more impressive part, even though I shot a couple under on the back. I put myself in some weird positions on the front nine. To escape the front nine even par I was quite happy about.

Q. Looking forward to the weekend, must be feeling good about your position. The draws are no longer a factor. How would you sum up going into the weekend?
TONY FINAU: Yeah, my coach and I been working on some great things in our golf swing and putting. As you guys mentioned, I mentioned to you guys yesterday, switched to the claw. That feels pretty good. Going to be nice to put it to the test these final 36. I feel good leading up to this point in the tournament, and I look forward to the challenge of chasing that second victory in the second half of this tournament.

Q. You come from a football family. Is there a football analogy that would describe your experience today with the conditions?
TONY FINAU: I think mentally you got to stay tough. The game of football you got to do that, be tough physically and mentally. You got to be mentally tough on a day like today where I think you're going to make some bogeys, but try your best to stay patient and hit good shots and it'll start to go your way. That's kind of how was it for me today.

Q. What was the best decision you made today?
TONY FINAU: Oh, the best decision I made today? Probably my shot on 5, my second shot. I was in between clubs there and I kind of learned from my miss on 3. I hit an 8-iron on 3 about 200 yards. I thought I was going to catch a flier but the wind just ate it up.

I'm on 5 in between clubs and end up hitting the knock-down shot, which in this wind full shots probably aren't your best friend. Whether that's downwind, side wind, into the wind, hitting a full shot is just not going to be your best friend. I learned from that on 3, and even though I didn't make birdie on 5, it was crucial for me to hit that second shot and give myself a chance for birdie.

I think I getting through Hogan Alley today with 1-over was okay with the wind.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
TONY FINAU: Nothing is going to change. I'm going to hit the same clubs off the tee. I don't know what the wind is going to be like the next few days, but I love the position I'm in. I've got an opportunity to do something special on the weekend. Nothing that I need to change I feel like going into the weekend. Playing some good golf, and if I continue that, going to be a good week for me.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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