Tony Finau predicts one hole at the Tour Championship to become ‘iconic’ after East Lake changes

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East Lake’s renovations have been a central talking point during the Tour Championship, and Tony Finau believes one hole could become one of the course’s memorable features.

Opinions on the alterations were mixed before the Tour Championship started. Xander Schauffele claimed the course hasn’t settled in, whilst other PGA Tour players were rumoured to love the greens.

One hole that has caught attention is the eighth, which has been converted into a short, driveable par-four. Schauffele was intrigued by the change, and Finau believes the eighth has the potential to become “iconic.”

Tony Finau loves ‘cool’ change at the Tour Championship

• READ MORE: Here’s all you need to know about East Lake Golf Club, the home of the Tour Championship

When asked about the par-four eighth during his post-round press conference on Friday, Finau claimed the shortened hole is “pretty cool”.

“Yeah, it’s definitely a lot different. I think making it drivable is pretty cool,” Finau explained. “You’ve got the water up the left side. It could end up being pretty iconic as the golf course kind of settles.

“But I think it probably yielded quite a few birdies today, but I do think it’s a cool hole. We haven’t had a drivable hole here on this golf course in the past, so to be able to add one on 8, I think that was a smart move.”

Tony Finau off to a solid start at the Tour Championship

Finau has started his Tour Championship in impressive fashion after beginning the week 15th in the FedEx Cup standings.

The American started the week at three under but jumped into the top ten after carding a five-under 66 on Friday. Finau stands little hope of catching Scottie Scheffler, but due to the prize money on offer, he is in with a chance of considerably boosting his bank balance if he can finish in the top five.

Despite the ongoing discourse surrounding the FedEx Cup format, the prize at stake for those out of contention is still significant.

A top-ten finish would guarantee Finau a $1.8 million, and if he can break into the top five, the American will land $5 million. If the 34-year-old were to fall out of the top 12, he would earn in the region of $550,000-$975,000, which demonstrates the importance of finishing near the top of the leaderboard.