Tony Finau grew up a Utah fan, but he’s adopted a passion for BYU.
“I grew up in Salt Lake City and I’m a Utah fan, but I’m not a BYU hater,” Finau told a gathering at Cougar Day at Riverside Country Club earlier this week. Finau, along with former Masters champion and Presidents Cup captain Mike Weir, joined Hall of Famer Johnny Miller and other PGA Tour players at BYU’s key fundraiser.
Both Finau and Weir praised the experiences they’ve had as members of international competition — calling it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
As a kid, Finau quickly grew to love Utah with his friends and the special attention given him and his brother Gipper by former Utah football coach Ron McBride. As a highly sought-after junior golfer, he was recruited by everyone in the country before giving a verbal commitment to BYU head coach Bruce Brockbank and director of golf Todd Miller to play for the Cougars.
But with professional opportunities, including participation on The Golf Channel’s popular “Big Break” series, he turned professional, which has led him to a career ranked as one of the top players in the world.
Reacting to comments by BYU vice president Keith Vorkink, who praised Brockbank and Miller and BYU’s nationally ranked team for setting high standards off and on the golf course, Finau said Vorkink summed up exactly what BYU is all about and he buys in.
“We know that integrity and the character of the type of individuals you hire to become the coaches and the players you recruit and it all starts at the top,” said Finau.
“Bruce and Todd, I’ve known for many years. They recruited me when I was young, in high school and if I would have gone to college, I verbally committed to play at BYU when I had the opportunity — to be with Bruce.”
Finau thanked BYU donors for building a practice facility in American Fork at the other end of Fox Hollow’s driving range. It has covered hitting bays, chipping and putting greens and allows players to work out year round.
Finau said he uses that facility as much as BYU players do, and he brings along his son Jraice, an aspiring junior golfer who is making a splash nationally.
“I have to say thank you for building that over the last decade and sustaining it. You are not only helping the BYU players but I’ve benefited from that. My son practices there as well,” Finau said. “I think that’s been a big part to have a facility where guys can come and practice and continue to shine.
“That’s the hard part about playing golf in a state that doesn’t have golf all year round. So, if you are going to attract guys, not only with high character, but great players, if you have a facility, I think that can be an attraction to these guys, just to play all year round. You have that at that BYU practice facility near Fox Hollow.
“You can’t say enough about Bruce and Todd and the players you have this year. I wasn’t blowing any smoke when I told (athletic director) Brian Santiago, sitting next to him, that you have a special group of guys on this team. I think they are going to do incredible things over the next handful of years for BYU.
“They are great young men, great players, and I like the way they carry themselves,” he continued. “I know many of them individually and again, the integrity and character they display is really unprecedented. I’m excited to watch them this year.
“I am a Utah fan. Sorry if people don’t know that. If anybody knows me personally, I’m a Utah guy. I grew up in Salt Lake City, but I find myself hanging around BYU fans all the time.”
Finau said he’s become close friends with former BYU and NBA star Danny Ainge and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith.
“I’m not like a normal Utah fan and don’t like BYU, but it’s hard for me to not love the energy, the people. Some of my best friends and my mentors like Ryan and Danny. I love these guys, and they’ve really turned my heart to just be a Cougar more than anything else. By the end of the day, I love BYU. I love supporting these guys.”
Finau, according to Miller, has supported BYU graduates who are now professional golfers on the different tours.
BYU and Utah will face off Monday in the Wohali Classic hosted by Utah at Wohali Golf Club near Coalville, Utah. It’s a two-day event and tees off the college golf season for both teams.
Asked about his Ryder Cup experience, Finau said he can sum it up in one word: Fun.
The 45th Ryder Cup Matches will be held in the United States from Sept. 26–28, 2025, on the Black Course of Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, New York. Europe is the holder of the Ryder Cup after its win over the United States in 2023 at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.
Nursing an injury most of this season, Finau did not make the Ryder Cup team this year.
“It’s a lot of fun, no matter if you make the team or if you are a captain’s pick or play my way onto the top six on the team. It’s so cool in that month leading up to preparing,” he said. “There’s a lot of pressure there, but as they say, pressure is a privilege and I try to look at that way.
“I love that opportunity and the guys who are in there now, I think we have a great team. The European team is deeper, if I’m being honest, but I think the U.S. side looks good enough to win the Ryder Cup.”
Finau said having a home crowd is huge. He said it makes it tough to win when staged in Europe. “The U.S. hasn’t won over there since Johnny (Miller) played.”
Finau said at Whistling Straits, the last time the Americans won, a huge crowd created so much energy it was a huge advantage and led to a lopsided, landslide win, one of the biggest margins of victory in the legendary event.
Finau said he was so excited at the Ryder Cup he couldn’t sleep the nights before practice rounds, and on tournament days he did play, it was the same — no sleep. “The crowd gives us a huge advantage.”
When the event was held at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal in 2024, Weir, the International team Presidents Cup captain, agreed about the crowd, but he also addressed the pressure a player feels, especially on the first tee.
“Tony is right, but I was always nervous and felt the pressure. Maybe he doesn’t feel that pressure, but on the first tee I’ve told younger players it is a pressure you’ll never feel again.”
Weir said that carrying the weight of playing for your teammates, country, and partner in alternate shot is incredible, like nothing else in the world.
