Tony Finau: Player Profile
Who is Tony Finau?
Tony Finau was born in Salt Lake City in 1989, under the birthname Milton Pouha Finau. He has gone on to become a PGA Tour winner, and Ryder Cup star for the American team.
Finau, unlike most American golfers, did not attend college. He was offered a scholarship, but in basketball. However, he decided to turn that offer down, turning professional in golf at the age of 17 and playing on a series of mini-tours.
Finau, along with brother Gipper, appeared on the Golf Channel’s show, the Big Break in 2009. He made the final of Big Break Disney Golf, and also made a cut on the PGA Tour in the same year.
The American won his first PGA Tour event in 2016, beating Steve Marino in a play-off to claim the Puerto Rico Open crown. He had to wait more than five years before getting back in the winners’ circle, but did so at the Northern Trust in 2021. Wins followed the next year at the 3M Open and Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Finau has six PGA Tour titles, and has finished in the top five in all four of the majors. He has also been a part of a winning Ryder Cup team. After losing with the USA in Paris in 2018, Finau helped his country to a resounding victory at Whistling Straits three years later.
Tony Finau | An Overview
Personal Information
Name: Milton Pouha Finau
Born: September 14, 1989
Nationality: United States
Residence: Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
Career
Turned Pro: 2007
Professional Wins: 9
Highest World Ranking: 9 – December 2, 2018
Best Results In Majors
Best Finishes:
– Masters Tournament – T5 (2019)
– PGA Championship – T4 (2020)
– US Open – 5th (2018)
– Open Championship – 3rd (2019)
Professional Wins – 9
2012 (2) – Hall of Fame Classic, Atlantic Open
2014 (1) – Stonebrae Classic
2016 (1) – Puerto Rico Open
2021 (1) – The Northern Trust
2022 (3) – 3M Open, Rocket Mortgage Classic, Cadence Bank Houston Open
2023 (1) – Mexico Open
Tony Finau | What’s In His Bag?
Tony Finau has a mix of clubs in his bag, with Ping being the main contributor. He plays a G425 LST driver, Glide 4.0 wedges and a PLD Anser 2 D putter.
To read the full article on Tony Finau’s what’s in the bag, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Tony Finau
When and where was Tony Finau born?
Tony Finau was born on September 14, 1989 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He practiced golf in his garage as a child, using a mattress as a makeshift golf net.
When did Tony Finau turn professional?
Finau turned professional at the age of 17, in 2007. He played on mini-tours over his first couple of years, before making the move up to the PGA Tour.
How many PGA Tour titles does Tony Finau have?
As of July 2023, Tony Finau has won six PGA Tour titles. Those wins include a FedEx Cup playoff event, the Northern Trust, in 2021.
Who is Tony Finau married to?
Finau is married to Alayna Galea’i-Finau, and the pair have now been married for more than a decade. They have five children: Jraice, Leilene Aiaga, Tony, Sage and Sienna-Vee.
Did you Know?
Turned Down College Scholarship Basketball Offers
Finau was a very good basketball player in his youth and received offers for a college scholarship, but turned them down to go pro in golf.
Dislocated Ankle During Masters Par-3 Contest
Finau hit a hole-in-one during the Par-3 contest at the Masters Tournament in 2018. During his run down the hole celebrating, he turned. The turn did not go well though, with Finau dislocating his ankle, before popping it back into place and slowly walking back to the tee.
Runner-Up In Big Break Disney Golf
Finau appeared on the hit US show Big Break Disney Golf in October 2009. He finished runner-up in the series, while older brother Gipper came in 4th.
First Tongan-Samoan PGA Tour Player
He is of Tongan and Samoan descent, and he is the first and only man of that ancestry to have played on the PGA Tour.
Other Tony Finau Articles
‘I’m not leaving’: Tony Finau shuts down LIV rumours
Mickelson, Lowry, DJ… Big names miss the Open cut
What do you think to Tony Finau’s career so far? Can the American break down the major door? Let us know with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
Matt Coles
Mention a European country, and Matt will tell you which resorts make the National Club Golfer Top 100s: European Resorts list. He might even throw in who designed the golf course and how many rooms the hotel has got at each one…
Matt got into the game of golf from a young age, following his old man to the local golf club. He fell for the sport, and now can’t seem to go a day without thinking about how to improve his game (Thanks Dad!). Matt has been a member of Howley Hall GC in Leeds since 2020, and is just about managing to maintain a single-figure handicap. He likes to remind people that he once broke 75, but won’t tell people that it was on a shortened course during the winter.
He moved to Leeds after graduating from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class Honours degree in Sports Journalism. Matt joined NCG after almost five years travelling the world with the Professional Squash Association, working on events in all four corners of the globe.
Matt currently plays a Cobra King LTDx driver and RadSpeed 3-wood. TaylorMade monopolise the rest of his bag, with a SIM UDI, M5 irons and both Milled Grind and HI-TOE wedges, along with a Monza Redline putter. He uses a Vice Pro Plus golf ball, because he’s a bit different…
Away from golf, Matt is a Manchester United fan, and a keen runner, having ran the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon (his first and possibly last), in May 2023.
