Tony Finau Parents

Tony Finau (birth name: Milton Pouha "Tony" Finau), born in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a professional golfer from the United States. Finau has won the PGA Tour six times and the Korn Ferry Tour once, as of January 2025. Before turning pro in 2007, he secured the Utah State Amateur Championship in 2006.

Who are Tony Finau's parents?

Tony Finau was born to his parents, Kelepi Finau and Ravena Finau, on September 14, 1989, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Finau, while speaking to Samoaobserver.ws in 2019, said “Being around a lot of Polynesians all the time, I learned to show respect to my elders and that’s something I always carry with me.” He was raised with four brothers and two sisters. Gipper Finau is the brother with whom Tony played golf during childhood, as per Heavy.com.

Who is Tony Finau's mother?

Tony Finau visited American Samoa in 2009 and 2010 with his mom, Ravena, who took him to her village to connect with their legacy, as revealed by Golfweek.USAtoday in 2023. Ravena believed golf would get her kids far from the gangs that plagued their community. Finau's father credited Ravena for choosing golf for their children, telling PGA.com in 2016, “This is her project. I feel like mothers and wives are smart when it comes to this kind of thing. Otherwise, I would’ve had them playing football.”

Ravena played a huge part in Finau's initial golf development. As per Golf Channel, she made sacrifices like sleeping in her car with Tony during a PGA Junior Series in Milwaukee, as they couldn't manage the cost of a hotel. With limited cash, Ravena went without food for three days, so her son could eat. Finau has shared that green was his mom's favorite color, which he wore during his first Masters appearance. He dedicated his first PGA win to her.

Ravena died in a car accident in 2011, as detailed by Finau in a 2015 Golf Digest article. According to Golfweek.USA Today, Kelepi believed that Finau would have reached the PGA Tour considerably earlier if his mother had not passed away. Tony Finau was scheduled to speak at her funeral, but he was too emotional to deliver his speech.

Who is Tony Finau's father?

As per Golf Channel, Kelepi immigrated to the US as a 12-year-old and met Ravena, when he was 23. Rugby was his initial game of choice, and he spoke no English after arriving. After some time, he transitioned to basketball and football, however, golf was completely new to him. When Gipper expressed interest in playing golf, Kelepi recognized the financial challenge it posed and became creative in making it feasible. He bought used equipment and changed their garage into an improvised practice area.

To show his children the basics of golf, Kelepi acquired educational books and tapes from the library, highlighting players like Billy Casper and Johnny Miller. He likewise instilled key lessons about golf being a less competitive space, often tying these lessons to real-life examples. As reported by Golfweek.USA Today, he enforced three important guidelines for his children: listen, be serious, and never quit. Kelepi dedicated significant time beyond his late night shifts at Delta Carriers, even on a limited budget, to help Tony and Gipper's golfing aspirations. He took them to Miami to compete in the Doral Publix International Junior Championship, where they faced top junior golf players around the world.

Tony expressed his gratitude, saying, “My dad gave me just about every ounce of time outside of work to get me to where I am today,” as reported by Golfweek.USA Today in 2023. Kelepi remarried in 2014 and has three kids from his second marriage, including Jonathan Finau. In acknowledgment of his dedication, Kelepi was named Golfweek's Father of the Year in 2023.