Kriti Mehrotra
If we can only ever use one word to describe professional golfer Milton Pouha “Tony” Finau, it would have to be determined considering the way he has managed to balance his life over the years. After all, not only has he maintained a steady high ranking amongst the best of the best in the Official World Golf stats (currently #12), but he’s also a truly involved family man through and through. Yet for now, if you, like us, simply wish to learn more about his career trajectory, hard-earned winnings, as well as overall net worth at the moment, we’ve got the necessary details for you.
How Did Tony Finau Earn His Money?
Although Tony admittedly grew up in a rough neighborhood in northwest Salt Lake City, Utah, he remarkably never really got involved in drugs, gangs, or violence thanks to his parents’ forethought. The truth is they understood the gravity of their situation as impoverished Tongan and Samoan descents and didn’t want either Tony or his brother Gipper to face any severe issues later in life. That’s why they got them involved in different kinds of sports and activities early on, believing “if I keep my kids busy, then they don’t have time to get into trouble,” as per Netflix’s ‘Full Swing.’
Though little did the Finaus realize that Tony would have the natural skill as well as the intricate grit to actually step into the competitive professional golfing industry — a sport unlike any other. It thus comes as no surprise he won the Utah State Amateur Championship in 2006 before refuting several college scholarships (in basketball) the same year to evolve into a golf pro at 17. He then kickstarted his career by taking on mini-tours such as the Gateway Tour, NGA Hooters Tour, plus National Pro Tour, and even featured in television productions like ‘Big Break Disney Golf.’
However, the opportunity for Tony to make his debut and leave his mark in any big event still came a few years later with the 2013 PGA Tour Canada, followed by the 2014 Web.com Tour. The focused youngster then went on to win his first title at the Stonebrae Classic (a Korn Ferry Tour event) in August 2014, enabling him to earn his PGA Tour card for the 2014–15 season. The fact he performed well during each such tour is actually evident from the way he continued to get cards for the following season and the business/brand deals he gradually managed to land, meaning more money.
It was in 2016 that Tony won his first title on the PGA Tour at the Puerto Rico Open, helping him move into the top 25 in the standings for the FedEx Cup (a major championship). The ensuing years included his participation in WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play 2017, Presidents Cup, Masters, US Open, and Ryder Cup — and as any golf fan knows, the latter three are all significant tournaments. He did sadly have a five-year winless run (2016-2021), but he did place quite well at almost every event to make a good living for not just himself but also his family during this supposed “drought.”
In fact, Tony had 40 top-10 placings, hundreds of points, and millions of dollars in earnings by making the cut-offs nearly every time he played; his problem was making the shots count when it mattered. Yet this aspect changed in 2021 once he finished fourth at The American Express because he then managed to tie second at Farmers Insurance Open, tie second at Saudi International during the European Tour, and win Northern Trust. As if that’s not enough, he has continued this winning streak with Ryder Cup 2021, 3M Open 2022, Presidents Cup 2022, and most recently, Cadence Bank Houston Open.
Tony Finau’s Net Worth
Since golf rules dictate that one make the cut-off after the two initial days of playing in each tournament to even earn anything for their stint, Tony Finau has had quite a stable income over the years. As for placing in the top 3, well, the purse for it is in the millions — the athlete amassed $1,710,000 from his Northern Trust 2021 win alone, making his total play earnings roughly $6.1 million for the 2021-2022 season. If we’re being honest, Tony’s 2022-2023 season is expected to yield a similar outcome, so considering his brand deals, along with his expenses in terms of family, caddie, team salaries, hobbies, etc., his net worth is estimated to be around $22 million as of writing.
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