Tony Finau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tony Finau |
|
|---|---|
Finau in 2018
|
|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Milton Pouha Finau |
| Nickname | Tony, Big Tone |
| Born | September 14, 1989 Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Residence | Scottsdale, Arizona |
| Spouse |
Alayna Galea’i
(m. 2012) |
| Children | 6 |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 2007 |
| Current tour(s) | PGA Tour European Tour |
| Former tour(s) | Web.com Tour PGA Tour Canada |
| Professional wins | 9 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 6 |
| Web.com Tour | 1 |
| Other | 2 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
|
| The Masters Tournament | T5: 2019 |
| U.S. Open | T3: 2024 |
| The Open Championship | 3rd: 2019 |
| PGA Championship | T4: 2020 |
Tony Finau, whose full name is Milton Pouha Finau, was born on September 14, 1989. He is an American professional golfer. He plays on the PGA Tour, which is one of the biggest golf tours in the world.
Contents
Tony Finau's Early Life and Golf Start
Tony Finau was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on September 14, 1989. He went to West High School. In 2006, he won the Utah State Amateur Championship. He beat Daniel Summerhays, who also became a PGA Tour player, in a long 36-hole match.
Becoming a Professional Golfer
Even though Tony had offers to play basketball in college, he decided to become a professional golfer at age 17 in 2007. He started playing on smaller golf tours like the Gateway Tour and the NGA Hooters Tour.
In 2009, Tony and his brother Gipper were on a TV show called The Big Break on the Golf Channel. Tony finished second on Big Break Disney Golf.
Playing on Different Tours
Tony played on the PGA Tour Canada in 2013. He made the cut in seven out of eight tournaments. He then did well at the Web.com Tour qualifying school, finishing T-3. This earned him a spot on the Web.com Tour for 2014.
In August 2014, Tony won his first big title at the Stonebrae Classic on the Web.com Tour. He finished 8th in the regular season. This helped him earn his PGA Tour card for the 2014–15 season.
First PGA Tour Win
In March 2016, Tony won his first tournament on the PGA Tour. This was at the Puerto Rico Open. He won in a sudden-death playoff against Steve Marino. Tony made a birdie on the third extra hole to win. This win moved him into the top 25 in the FedEx Cup standings.
Tony Finau's Success on the PGA Tour
Tony Finau has had many great moments in his professional golf career. He is known for his powerful swings and consistent play.
2018 Season Highlights
In 2018, Tony played in his first Masters tournament. He finished tied for 10th place, even after hurting his ankle the day before the tournament. In June 2018, he finished 5th at the U.S. Open. This was his best finish in a major tournament at that time.
Tony had a very successful 2017–18 season. He earned over $5.6 million and had 11 top-10 finishes. He finished second at the Safeway Open and The Northern Trust. He also tied for second at the Genesis Open.
In September 2018, Tony was chosen to be part of the U.S. team for the 2018 Ryder Cup. This is a big team competition between the U.S. and Europe. The U.S. team lost, but Tony played well. He won his singles match against Tommy Fleetwood.
2019 and 2020 Seasons
In October 2018, Tony lost in a playoff at the 2018 WGC-HSBC Champions tournament. He still won over $1 million for finishing second. In April 2019, Tony was in the final group at the 2019 Masters Tournament with golf legends Francesco Molinari and Tiger Woods. He finished tied for 5th.
In December 2019, Tony played for the U.S. team in the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia. The U.S. team won this competition.
In February 2020, Tony lost another playoff at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He had a two-stroke lead with two holes left, but his opponent, Webb Simpson, made birdies to force a playoff and then won.
Later in 2020, Tony continued to have strong finishes. He tied for 3rd at the 3M Open. This meant he had 30 top-10 finishes in four years without a win, which was a PGA Tour record at the time.
Breaking the Win Streak in 2021
In early 2021, Tony had an amazing run of five weeks. He finished in the top 4 in all four tournaments he played. He tied for second at the Farmers Insurance Open and lost in a playoff at the Genesis Invitational.
Tony finally won his second PGA Tour title in August 2021 at The Northern Trust. He beat Cameron Smith in a playoff. This was a big win for him after five years without a victory.
In September 2021, Tony was part of the U.S. team that won the 2021 Ryder Cup by a large margin.
More Wins in 2022 and 2023
In July 2022, Tony had an incredible two weeks. He won the 3M Open and then the Rocket Mortgage Classic in back-to-back weeks. These were his third and fourth PGA Tour wins.
Tony also played for the U.S. team at the 2022 Presidents Cup, where the team won. In November 2022, he won the Cadence Bank Houston Open. In April 2023, Tony won the Mexico Open. This was his sixth career PGA Tour victory.
Tony Finau's Personal Life
Tony Finau has a unique background. He is the first person of Tongan and Samoan descent to play on the PGA Tour. His brother, Gipper, also played golf professionally for a time. Tony is also related to famous athletes like NBA basketball player Jabari Parker and former NFL football player Haloti Ngata.
Tony is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is married to Alayna Finau, and they have six children. Tony also runs the Tony Finau Foundation. This organization helps young people and their families in his community. He was also featured in the sports documentary series Full Swing on Netflix.
Tony Finau's Professional Wins
Tony Finau has won 9 professional tournaments. Six of these wins have been on the PGA Tour.
PGA Tour Wins (6)
- 2016 Puerto Rico Open
- 2021 The Northern Trust
- 2022 3M Open
- 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic
- 2022 Cadence Bank Houston Open
- 2023 Mexico Open
Other Wins
Tony also won one tournament on the Web.com Tour in 2014, the Stonebrae Classic. He also has two wins on the National Pro Tour in 2012.
Team Appearances
Tony Finau has represented the United States in several important team golf events.
Amateur Teams
- Junior Ryder Cup: 2004, 2006
Professional Teams
- Ryder Cup: 2018, 2021 (winners)
- Presidents Cup: 2019 (winners), 2022 (winners), 2024 (winners)
