Tony Finau was greeted by angry protesters demanding he ‘pay his debts’ when he arrived to host his annual golf tournament in Utah.
It’s claimed around a dozen people gathered outside Oakridge Country Club in Farmington, where the PGA Tour star puts on his tournament and clinic.
The protests, which according to Deseret News lasted around two and half hours, centered around accusations that Finau has failed to repay them – or loved ones – hundreds of thousands of dollars for their help on his journey to the top of golf.
They held up signs carrying messages such as ‘Keep Your Word’, ‘Tony Pay Your Debts’, ‘Tony Pay Your Family Back’ and ‘Tony Don’t Forget Uncle Toa’.
One alleged that Finau or his family owe him north of $100,000 for things including loans, rent payments, cars, and travel to China.
Golf star Tony Finau was greeted by angry protesters in Utah who demanded he ‘pay his debts’
The 34-year-old has made $42,411,360 on the PGA Tour but is accused of owing people money
A former family friend has reportedly been taking legal action against the PGA Tour star for nearly four years. He claims to be owed more than $600,000 and is seeking 20 percent of Finau’s winnings on tour. An eight-day jury trial is slated to begin in September, while another lawsuit against the Finau family was dismissed in 2022.
The 34-year-old has made $42,411,360 on the PGA Tour but it’s alleged that ‘more than 10 people’ are owed money by the Finau family.
Both the Tony Finau Foundation and the Utah Sports Commission – which sponsors the Utah Championship – also came under fire.
Finau was born in Salt Lake City and protest organizer Rocky Bowlby claimed: ‘No one knows the real Tony’.
‘This is all about awareness,’ he told Deseret News. Finau is said to have arrived at the course around two hours after the protest began but did not acknowledge the people who had gathered.
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