Tony Finau: Is Rising Star a FedEx Cup Contender or Pretender?
By Tim Letcher
Tony Finau is one of the bright young talents on the PGA Tour. Can he claim this year’s FedEx Cup?
Tony Finau is in his sixth year on the PGA Tour. The Utah native has established himself as a solid player with a strong game during his professional career.
Finau turned pro at age 17 in 2007 and spent his share of time working his way up the professional ladder. He played on the European Tour, the Canadian Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour before earning his PGA Tour card in 2015.
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In his first season on tour, Finau played in 31 events and had 16 top 25 finishes and five top 10s. He would go on to make the FedEx Cup playoffs, where he would finish 43rd in the standings.
In 2016, Finau took the next step in his development, notching his first win on the PGA Tour. Finau took the title at the Puerto Rico Open, one of his two top 10 finishes on the tour that season. Again, Finau would make the playoffs, where he would finish in 45th place.
In 2017, Finau again made the playoffs and when he did, he made a playoff run. He had consecutive seventh-place finishes to get into the Tour Championship for the first time. He ultimately finished 19th in the FedEx Cup standings.
The progression continued in 2018, as Finau had 11 top 10 finishes, including three runner-ups. He finished that season in the top 10 in three majors and in three FedEx Cup playoff events. Those finishes allowed him to finish a career-high sixth in the FedEx Cup standings.
Last season, Finau had another strong playoff push, with a top 10 at the BWM Championship. He finished seventh in the FedEx Cup standings last year.
This season, Finau has made seven cuts in nine events thus far. He already has three top 10 finishes, including a runner up finish at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He also tied for sixth at the Farmers Insurance Open and tied for ninth at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
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Finau will have some ground to make up once play resumes this season, as he currently ranks 34th in the FedEx Cup standings. He has proven that he can make up ground in the playoffs but until he proves that he can win against the tour’s best players, Finau is a pretender for the 2020 FedEx Cup.