Tony Finau confronted by protesters ahead of his annual charity golf tournament at Utah, calls him a ‘fraud’
Tony Finau was recently confronted by protesters ahead of his annual charity tournament at the Oakridge Country Club in Farmington, Utah. The peaceful protesters accused Finau of not repaying them.
The six-time PGA Tour winner is in his hometown this week to organize the Utah Championship at Oakridge, his annual charity event. The event is sanctioned by the Korn Ferry Tour and will be played from Thursday, August 1, to Sunday, August 4.
The Deseret News reported that a significant protest took place outside Oakridge on Monday, July 28. Protesters held multiple banners referring to Tony Finau as a fraud, with phrases like "Keep Your Word," "Tony Pay Your Family Back," "Tony Don’t Forget Uncle Toa," and "Tony Foundation or Tony Fraud" displayed on the signs.
The 34-year-old golfer arrived at the golf course with his family on Monday morning but did not stop in front of the protesters. The protest organizer, Rocky Bowlby, a former co-owner of Dental Select, said the protest was intended to raise awareness.
"No one knows the real Tony," he told the Deseret news.
Bowlby accused Finau and his family of owing him more than $100K for various expenses, including loans, rent, a car, and travel. He stated that he was not going the legal route, but another protestor, Molonai Hola, had filed a lawsuit against the pro-golfer four years ago.
Hola's son accused Finau of owing him more than $600,000 for financing the golfer's career for three years before he became a PGA Tour member in 2014. He also claimed 20% of Finau's earnings on the PGA Tour, a whopping $11 million.
Why is Tony Finau not playing at the 2024 Olympics?
Tony Finau is not competing in the 2024 Olympics as he missed qualifying for the Paris event. According to the current rankings, he is World No. 19 and the tenth-highest-ranked American player. However, only four spots were available on the US team.
Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, and Wyndham Clark are the four players representing the US at the Paris Olympics 2024. The golf event will be played at Le Golf National from Thursday, August 1, to Sunday, August 4. 60 players will compete for the gold medal in a 72-hole stroke play event.