PGA Tour sensation Tony Finau, renowned for his affable personality, skyrocketed to even greater fame following his appearance on Netflix’s “Full Swing.” This documentary provided an in-depth look at his background, revealing his journey from a disadvantaged neighborhood in Salt Lake City to his current status as a golfing icon.
However, recent reports from Desert News have shed light on a less glamorous aspect of Finau’s life. According to the publication, former business associates are embroiled in two separate lawsuits, both aimed at securing what they believe is owed to them – a substantial portion of the millions Tony Finau has earned throughout his PGA Tour career.
Tony, a six-time PGA Tour victor, achieved remarkable success during the 2022-23 season, clinching titles at the Mexico Open at Vidanta and the Cadence Bank Houston Open. His career PGA Tour earnings, as reported by Spotrac, stand at an impressive $50,315,922. Notably, 2022 and 2023 marked his most lucrative years to date, with earnings of $13,881,886 and $7,602,652, respectively.
The Desert News report reveals that a lawsuit filed in 2020 is now progressing toward a trial, while “a separate lawsuit dismissed in 2021 has been partially reinstated by an appellate court.” The specifics of these legal battles, as outlined in the report, shed light on the nature of the disputes:
Two different investors, in separate lawsuits, are suing the Finau brothers and their father Kelepi “Gary” Finau. Former business associate and family friend Molonai Hola sued in September 2020, while Utah County businessman David Hunter filed his complaint in May 2021.
Both Hola and Hunter, who are not working together, say they want repayment for loans and other work and services they say they provided to the family from 2006 to 2009, totaling about $1.1 million. They also seek, separately, up to 20% each of Tony Finau’s career earnings, which could be in the tens of millions. In April, Finau won $1.3 million with a first-place finish at the Mexico Open.
Tony Finau has chosen to remain silent on this matter, opting not to publicly comment on the ongoing lawsuits. His manager, Chris Armstrong, astutely emphasized that there is no discernible upside for Tony in addressing these legal issues publicly. Armstrong went on to express confidence that the legal process will unfold as it should in due course.
The crux of the issue lies in the fact that former business associates, who played a pivotal role in supporting the early careers of Tony Finau and his brother in the world of golf, are now seeking a substantial share of the tens of millions Tony has earned during his illustrious PGA Tour career. However, Tony’s perspective is that these business partnerships were dissolved many years ago.
As outlined in the report, one of the lawsuits is pursuing ‘more than $16 million’ from Tony, while the other estimates they are “due more than $5 million.”
Both lawsuits are rooted in the dissolution of The Finau Corp. in 2009, and they seem to be on a trajectory toward a trial. Notably, Tony Finau enjoys significant popularity in Utah, making the unfolding optics of these trials in his home state a matter of considerable interest in the coming months.
