Tony Finau and Brooks Koepka had been paired collectively for the opening match of the 2018 Ryder Cup.
FRANCK FIFE/AFP through Getty Photos
All through his profession, Brooks Koepka has thrived in big-time moments. Because the winner of 5 main championships, all since 2017, he’s simply been essentially the most prolific participant in golf’s largest occasions over the previous decade.
He’s additionally carried out effectively in his 4 Ryder Cup appearances. Along with sporting a successful file of 7-6-2, he has not misplaced a singles match, going 2-0-2 regardless of enjoying in three U.S. dropping efforts.
That’s all to say, he’d be unlikely to shrink back from hitting the opening tee shot within the hostile atmosphere of an away Ryder Cup.
However, as Tony Finau not too long ago revealed in a YouTube video with content material creator Grant Horvat and reposted by the favored Instagram account @ziregolf, Koepka gave up that honor as soon as.
Finau, who’s making his third Presidents Cup look this week for Group USA, is requested to recall his favourite Ryder Cup reminiscence, which ended up revolving across the determination for him to hit the opening tee shot of the 2018 matches in France.
“[Captain] Jim Furyk requested me once I wished to go and me and Brooks had been going to be paired collectively and we’re like, ‘Yeah, we’d wish to go first,’” Finau stated. “Brooks involves me and is like ‘You wanna hit the primary tee shot?’”
Finau, then 29, enjoying in his first Ryder Cup as a captain’s decide, didn’t need to steal the honour from his enjoying accomplice.
“No, I’ll give that honor to you,” Finau stated.
However Koepka insisted.
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“No, let me rephrase that,” was Koepka’s response. “You’re gonna hit the primary tee shot.”
That meant Finau wouldn’t solely have the honour when he and Koepka teed off of their match, however because it was the primary match of the opening day, he’d be main off the whole occasion.
The 2018 Ryder Cup was additionally the one Tiger Woods was most not too long ago part of, having additionally earned a captain’s decide and later breaking a five-year winless drought on the Tour Championship only a week prior.
Woods had some powerful love for Finau when he discovered at a workforce assembly that night time the rookie could be hitting the opening tee shot of the whole match.
“Tiger appears to be like at me, and he’s like, ‘Don’t F*** it up, child,’” Finau remembered. “That’s all he stated.”
The subsequent day it was time, and the environment, Finau stated, was like nothing he had ever skilled earlier than.
“I get to the primary tee, 10,000 individuals round. [Michael Jordan] is there. Michael Phelps. These guys are all watching,” he stated. “There’s a lot power after which all the sudden, as quickly as I tee the ball up, it was like you might hear a pin drop.”
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And by chance for him, Woods, and the remainder of their workforce, Finau rose to the event.
“I find yourself stripping it,” Finau stated proudly. “I had a lot adrenaline. It was 45 levels at 7:30 within the morning and I find yourself hitting this 3-iron like 290. It was smoked proper down the center. Nearly went within the water, although, on the 300-yard mark. However I used to be simply so hyped.”
Finau and Koepka gained their opening four-ball match in opposition to Justin Rose and Jon Rahm and the U.S. took the morning session 3-1. However the Europeans swept the afternoon session and ended up recapturing the Cup in a 17.5-10.5 romp of the People.
Koepka had the worst Ryder Cup efficiency of his profession, going 1-2-1 whereas Finau was one of many few vibrant spots for the People going 2-1-0 in his first matches. However Finau holds that reminiscence of an instance of he and Koepka’s shut bond.
“Brooks will at all times be a homie for that,” Finau stated. “He’ll at all times be in my good graces. Not just for that, however like our wives are good mates, like he’s only a homie for that.”
