http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_6395280

hope he makes the cut this week !!!!!!!!

You've got to respect a youngster who qualifies for the tourney, as opposed to those who compete solely on sponsor's exemptions. I wish him the best of luck!

i heard that he has a driver and 4 wedges, no fairway woods, i dont even think he has a 2 iron

the distance he hits the golf ball is rediculous.

Last years Utah State Amateur Champion.

Last year he beat Daniel Summerhays in the final match to win the Utah State Amateur title. Summerhays is the amateur who won the Nationwide event last week. He is very loooong !!!, but also has a tremendous short game and probably the best part of his game is his putting.


http://uga.org/news/news.cfm?article=2067, story from last years final

Both of these kids can flat out play but I wonder about the decision to give up their amateur status. I have watched both of them play at the Junior PGA here in Ohio and I am sure both have a legit shot of making it as a pro. How many examples are there out there that spend a number of years struggling to make it. I hope they make it and I certainly hope they don't spend the next four or five years on the .com mini tours.

Did anyone see the US Bank coverage on GC when they showed Tony's lag? OMG! Move over Bubba. THis kid is a bomber. 198 ball speed on the range. Of course I never saw him hit a fairway during the coverage. He did try and drive a 370+ par 4 on the backside. Kid has serious clubhead speed and lag. Really fast hands. Fun to watch a 17 year with that much power.

that kid beats the piss out of the ball. too bad he played piss poor otherwise yesterday

The woods and driving ranges are full of guys who can absolutely cream it.

From what I saw yesterday, he'll need to bring a bit more polish on that game.

65 today and playing the weekend. Nice work

he's 17. of course he's going to be a raw talent.

i love pulling for guys like him though.

Yeah, but the woods and ranges aren't full of state amatuer champs who set course records. I've talked to a number of people who have seen these boys play in person, and they all agree that they've got serious talent.
Sure, what teenager doesn't need polish, but you've got to give credit where credit is due.
I'm excited to see what happens as the Finau brothers mature into more experienced players.

Just got back from the US Bank event and talked with the Head Pro...Tuesday Night he was hitting drives on the range..which has a tall screen on the back of the range 310 yards out...he was clearing the fence by 50 yards. I guess other pros stop to watch him hit drives.

anyone know WITB?

what a comeback round... 65...

cheers...

Great round today. I'm pretty sure he's playing a 905R with a YS-6 or 7. Looks like he's got a TM Rossa putter.

On Friday, he drove the ball 369 yards over water (pond in front of the green) and onto the green at the par-4 16th.

um...

wtf.

that's crazy

Ok, he's long, we get it...however, you can't expect to compete if you can't put it in play. He's not hitting fairways which is hindering his ability to hit greens, and once he's there he isn't really converting. The kid needs to combine his raw power w/ a little thought on how to plink it around the course and he can be a world beater...

Did he drive 16 again today? This dude is crazy long!

Uhh.. He made the cut this week. He is 17 years old. Although I agree with you give the kid a break he his playing in his first PGA event. Not too damn bad if you ask me....

Brown Deer G.C. is not exactly a bombers course either. Can't wait to see this kid on some wider fairways.

Tony Finau - PGA TOUR Tour - U.S. Bank Championship in MilwaukeeTournament StatsCurrently Tot: 6 Pos: 70 Rd: 3 Thru: 18 Eagle Birdie Par Bogey D Bogey+

Round 3 - Brown Deer Park Golf Course Started on Hole 1
Hole: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 OUT 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 IN TOT
Yardage: 461 417 171 485 164 556 215 436 359 3264 447 196 381 437 188 531 371 387 557 3495 6759
Par: 4 4 3 4 3 5 3 4 4 34 4 3 4 4 3 5 4 4 5 36 70
Score : 4 5 3 4 3 6 3 6 4 38 6 3 4 4 3 5 3 5 5 38 76
Status: E +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +4 +4 +6 +6 +6 +6 +6 +6 +5 +6 +6 +6
Round 2 - Brown Deer Park Golf Course Started on Hole 10
Hole: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 OUT 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 IN TOT
Par: 4 4 3 4 3 5 3 4 4 34 4 3 4 4 3 5 4 4 5 36 70
Score : 4 4 3 4 2 5 3 4 4 33 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 5 5 32 65
Status: -4 -4 -4 -4 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -1 -1 -2 -3 -3 -4 -5 -4 -4 -5
Round 1 - Brown Deer Park Golf Course Started on Hole 1
Hole: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 OUT 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 IN TOT
Par: 4 4 3 4 3 5 3 4 4 34 4 3 4 4 3 5 4 4 5 36 70
Score : 4 5 3 5 4 4 4 4 4 37 4 3 6 4 4 5 4 4 4 38 75
Status: E +1 +1 +2 +3 +2 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +5 +5 +6 +6 +6 +6 +5 +5

Statistic Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Overall Rank
Total Eagles 0 0 0 0 13
Total Birdies 2 6 1 9 33
Total Pars 10 11 12 33 29
Total Bogeys 5 1 3 9 19
Total Double Bogeys 1 0 2 3 2
Other scores 0 0 0 0 6
Penalties 0 0 0 0 17
Driving Distance 333.8 318.1 328.8 326.9 2
Fairways hit 2 7 4 13 113
Fairway Opportunities 13 13 13 39 1
Longest drive 362 369 369 369 2
Greens in reg 6 13 9 28 62
GIR opportunities 18 18 18 54 1
Sand saves 1 0 1 70
SS opportunities 1 2 3 64
Avg Putts per GIR 2.000 1.692 1.889 1.821 57
Total Putts Per GIR 12 22 17 51 55
Total Putts Per Rd 29.00 27.00 32.00 29.33 79
More Stats for Tony Finau
this kid hits it for ever thats for sure he is number two so far at Milwaukee for driving distance.

He may very well have some game. He has only hit 13 of 39 fairways and exactly half the greens in regulation.


But always remember you can teach someone to hit it straight, you just cant teach raw power.

I am not saying you can not add distance with improved mechanics but the average young tour player is hitting it 280 the worlds greatest teacher is not going to give him 20 yds,

Thats a general rule I have seen guys on tour get longer . Tom Kite comes to mind. But mostly it was because they got stronger.


Sounds to me like this kid has a future.

I agree. If that were me, I'd have to change my shorts few times during my first PGA event, at 17 years of age, no less.

I think overall it was a great week for Tony, just making the cut after a rough start was a great accomplishment. Also now
this should open some doors exemption wise . The public loves long bombers, but I promise you the strength of his game is
the short game, exceptional hands and putting. Wait till "little brother" Gipper makes his entrance, he is every bit as good and just
as long from the tee. Johnny Miller has seen these kids from an early age and has predicted both will be top ten in the world within
5 years. Looks like Callaway might be the equipment company looking to sign them, they have always been Titleist guys, but maybe $$$$
speaks volumes. Way to go Tony !!!!!!!

First of all, my comment was constructive. The kid is very talented and I would love to see him become one of the best in the game.

Secondly, he is a pro now. He decided he was ready to step up and compete with the big boys, so those glaring weaknesses are going to be exposed. I'm not going to look at him any differently than I do the other young guys on tour...

Best of luck to him though.

I grew up with in Utah where he lives and I've played many many tournaments with him. If anyone doesn't think he is legit then they are wrong. I'm not writing negatively at all! Just saying the kid has game. He will be taught everything he needs to learn (which isn't much). He is only 17 and you can't teach the kind of things this kid has naturally. Feel free to ask questions.....

Hilarious moment when I seen that little clip of Tony Finau on the range warming up and all the Pros behind him being pointed out by TV were acting like they weren't watching him but stopped what they were doing when he pulled the trigger on the driver and was just killing it and all pros just looking at him shaking their heads in awwww. Looks allot like young Tiger in that swing so limber with more fast twitch muscle in Tony's athletic body. Tony looks legit to me and has a very bright future ahead of him just stay far away from David Leadbetter please.

Junior

Kids that age are not afraid of anything.
Great problem to have.
Go get em kid.

905R with Speeder 757

695MB blades

THe Finau brothers just got 2 sponsorsexempts from Jesper Parnevik for this years Scandinavian Masters on the European tour. He said he was so impressed playing behind Finau in his tour debut that he believes that the brothers can be future contenders for the world nr. 1 spot. Here is a link to the article in a swedish newspaper: http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/sport/story/...1128976,00.html

I am looking forward to seeing them play on the European Tour this summer!!
Cheers // Johan

I see some Swedish nannies in their future !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

golf central primetime is doing a piece on him tonight

Any news ???

Yes.

Happy New Year!

Funny you should ask, here is an article from todays local paper.

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_9750270.

I had heard a while back that Tony might have an exemption into this years Milwaukee
PGA event , don't know if that is still true.

Well well.........
Not a smart move to turn pro and not being able to break 80 in a series of tournaments .
Will see , time is on their side.
Its all about putting and short game ......

I agree that they turned pro too early. I've played with the kids last year. They are really, really long. They hit it solid with all of their clubs. But neither of them can putt. If they learned how to die it in the hole, they'd be on tour, no doubt. They both chip pretty well. But if they learned not to power the ball into the hole, instead use more of a Crenshaw idea of dying it in, they'd be top twenty players in a short time for sure. Also game management is something they need to work on. Tony flies his two hybrid about 300 yards. I am a long hitter and I fly my driver about that far. They are great kids though. I wish them luck.

Update, Tony's in the field at the Milwaukee event this week.

Is Tony the bigger or smaller brother?

Did he qualify or get a gift invite?

Gipper Finau is the younger brother.

Here is another update,

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=772377

Saw Tony hit his tee shot on the first hole tuesday and it was probably the longest ball I saw all day. Dead straight right down the middle.

PS The stand bag with 909 in it from my US Bank pictures is Tony's.

He only averaged 332 off the tee today. I thought he was long? From what I read, a lot of people on here can fly their 3 woods that far.

He had a 905R and a Callaway staff bag today. When he hit his driver, the ball had a hiss to it. He hits it a mile.

wish him the best of course its whats between the ears is going to help him in the long run, making it thru moving day , and making that 5 footer for par. His nerves is going to be the biggest test since he'll draw a huge gallery, and the driver for even for the #1 in the world doesnt listen to well so hitting the greens from strange lies, and areas is going to be another challenge. Hopefully he doesnt become a 1 season wonder back to the Nationwide tour or even sent to the asian tour type of deal that just falls off the globe.
What ever happened to Ty Tryon??????????

IMO the best thing for him would be to go to one of the jr tours to polish his game......18 years old, not a lot of professional experience and course management still needing work, i think it would make sense to "step down" a few notches where he won't be under the intense scrutiny that the pga tour would place on him

ty tryon appears to be doing quite well

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-...,0,37902.column

345.5 average off the tees today...holy smokes.

I had him hitting 50% of the fairways too for the tourney...does that mean he would be averaging about 360 off the tee if he was center every drive???

That is power!

Ouch, missed the cut by a stroke, wonder what he could have done if he got that one back. Anyone know his next event?