His second shot having come to rest on the steep bank, Finch assessed his options before deciding to go for broke. Staying committed to the shot is one of golf’s most basic fundamentals, but few have ever been as committed as Finch was when hitting his approach to the par-5 18 th hole. Rory McIlroy, playing in his first ever Irish Open as a professional, shot under par in three of his four rounds to finish tied for sixth, and Gary Murphy, seeking his first ever Tour win, birdied four of his first six holes in the final round to leap into contention and ultimately take a tie for third, but nobody was able to reel Finch in.
