Just days after dislocating his ankle to put his Masters debut in jeopardy, Tony Finau ended a remarkable week in style to secure a return to Augusta National.
Finau was running backwards in an enthusiastic celebration of a hole-in-one during Wednesday's par-three contest when his left ankle buckled underneath him.
The 28-year-old simply popped the dislocated ankle back into place and carried on and was later given the all-clear to compete after X-rays and an MRI scan.
An opening 68 left him just two shots off the lead and although he followed that with rounds of 74 and 73, a closing 66 containing six birdies in a row from the 12th sealed a top-12 finish and an invite for next year's tournament.
"I didn't know until my caddie told me I had six in a row," Finau said. "I was kind of in a zone. I hit the fairways I needed to, especially on the par fives, I hit some great shots and made some great putts. Very, very pleased with the way I finished today.
"I had an opportunity this week and I've taken advantage of it. I look forward to being back here. It's a golf course I know I can play, and I've proved that to myself this week.
"The hole in one was spectacular, followed up by the most embarrassing moment in my life. But it is what it is. I've got a lot of cool coverage from it so I wouldn't change that.
"And to be on the back nine at Augusta on a Sunday, to be playing some good golf, it doesn't get much better. This week has been one of the highlights of my golfing career thus far, no question.
"Waking up Thursday morning, I couldn't have dreamed that I would play this well, because the last thing in my mind I was focused on was playing golf."
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