#48 Tony Finau

Home Course: Rose Park Golf Course – Salt Lake City, Utah

From West Side Muni to PGA Tour Contender

Tony Finau is the modern face of what we celebrate in the Muni 50, raw talent, a relentless work ethic, and an unshakable connection to the public golf course where it all began.

His home course, Rose Park Golf Course, sits on the west side of Salt Lake City in a working-class neighborhood. It’s not a country club with luxury amenities. It’s a muni where you’ll find high school kids hitting range balls after class, retirees walking 9 in the morning, and locals playing twilight golf until the sun dips behind the mountains.

This is where Finau learned the game, where he hustled for every shot, and where he built the skill set that would eventually make him one of the most respected players on the PGA Tour.

Polynesian Roots and an Unlikely Golf Story

Finau was born in 1989 to Tongan father Kelepi and Samoan-American mother Ravena. In a community where basketball and football were the dominant sports, golf was not a common path. But the televised dominance of Tiger Woods in the late 1990s lit a spark for young Tony and his brother Gipper.

The family didn’t have the resources for private lessons or club memberships. Instead, they turned their garage into a makeshift hitting bay with a net. The boys hit hundreds of balls a day, translating that swing into real ball flight at Rose Park whenever they could.

Rose Park – The Public Course That Raised Him

Rose Park Golf Course is pure muni. Affordable rates, a walkable layout, and an open-door policy for anyone who wants to play. For Finau, it wasn’t just a golf course, it was an outdoor classroom.

• Creative Shotmaking: Rose Park’s tree-lined fairways and varying wind conditions forced him to learn how to shape shots.
• Adaptability: With public course turf and seasonal changes, Finau developed the ability to handle imperfect lies and uneven greens.
• Community Support: The staff and regulars embraced the Finau brothers, encouraging their progress and offering tips along the way.

Turning Pro at 17 – The Road Less Traveled

While many elite juniors go the NCAA route, Finau turned professional at just 17. He and Gipper played mini-tours, hustled in money games, and even appeared on Golf Channel’s reality series The Big Break.

It was a grind, sleeping in cheap motels, driving long hours between events, but it prepared him for the week-to-week demands of the PGA Tour.

Breaking Through on the PGA Tour

Finau’s persistence paid off in 2014 when he earned his PGA Tour card. Two years later, he captured his first Tour win at the Puerto Rico Open in 2016. Since then, his resume has grown to include:

• 6 PGA Tour victories (including the 2021 Northern Trust and back-to-back wins at the 2022 3M Open & Rocket Mortgage Classic).
• Multiple Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup appearances for Team USA.
• Consistent top-10 finishes in major championships.

Public Golf DNA in His Game

Finau’s swing is compact and powerful, a product of garage training and muni ball-striking. His creativity around the greens and calm demeanor under pressure come directly from years spent in public-course conditions where nothing was ever perfect.

As he’s said in interviews, “Rose Park taught me to love the game, but it also taught me how to work.”

Cultural Impact

Finau’s presence on the PGA Tour resonates deeply, especially with Polynesian and minority communities. Through the Tony Finau Foundation, he supports youth programs that emphasize education, sports, and character development, often partnering with public courses to host clinics and outreach events.

Why He’s #48 on the Countdown

Finau’s career is far from over, and his win total will likely grow. But what cements his place in the Muni Kids Muni 50 is his unshakable link to Rose Park. He didn’t just pass through a muni on his way to golf’s elite, he was made there.

Every towering drive, every clutch birdie putt, every handshake on the 18th green traces back to those west side fairways in Salt Lake City.

Key Stats

• Born: September 14, 1989 – Salt Lake City, UT
• Home Course: Rose Park Golf Course, Salt Lake City, UT
• Professional Wins: 6 PGA Tour
• Teams: Ryder Cup (2018, 2021), Presidents Cup (2019, 2022)
• Charity: Tony Finau Foundation

Quote

“Rose Park is where I learned to compete. It’s where I learned that the game of golf is for everyone, not just a select few.” – Tony Finau