Tony Finau was forced to pull out of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas last week due to injury, and the problem has persisted, ensuring he will also be absent this week
Tony Finau has once again been forced to withdraw from a PGA Tour event, after confirming he cannot compete at this week’s Grant Thornton Invitational in Florida.
Finau was set to partner up with women’s world No. 1 Nelly Korda but revealed in a statement on Wednesday that he will be unable to play due to an ongoing knee problem. “I am disappointed to withdraw from the Grant Thornton Invitational as I continue to recover from my knee injury,” Finau said.
“Playing with Nelly in 2023 was one of the highlights of my year. I look forward to cheering her on this week and am thankful for her support and understanding as I work on getting fully healthy. I’m grateful to my partner Grant Thornton for their support and for diversifying our game by bringing the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour together in Naples. I look forward to returning to competition in the new year.”
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Finau’s announcement came a week after he was also forced to pull out of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, having originally committed to competing in the limited-field event hosted by Tiger Woods.
His withdrawal fuelled rumors that he could well be set to join LIV Golf, with Mirror US Sports understanding the PGA Tour star was a key target of the breakaway league for 2025. Finau however was quick to shoot down any potential switch to the Saudi-backed circuit, putting his decision down to his knee problem.
“They’re not true,” Finau told Golfweek of the reports linking him to the LIV circuit last week. He continued: “I’m more than happy where I’m at on the PGA Tour and looking forward to 2025. When I tee it up in Maui, it will all go away, so, I don’t worry about it one bit.”
Finau admitted he also reached out to Woods personally to confirm his decision, something the tournament host understood. “I called Tiger and made sure he knew,” the six-time PGA Tour winner continued. “He said, ‘I would’ve told you to do the same thing.’”
The Utah native went into further detail on the problem with his knee, admitting it is something that has been bothering him over the last two seasons. He went on: “The last couple of seasons have been kind of rough with my knees.” Finau did however reveal he hopes to be back to full fitness come 2025.
“I’m optimistic about this coming season about being more fully healthy than ever,” he said. The 35-year-old is expected to make his comeback at the beginning of the PGA Tour season in January, with Finau revealing his intention to compete at The Sentry in Hawaii in three weeks.