LIV is reportedly looking to poach two very recent PGA Tour winners. With virtually unlimited money to spend (something it regrets now), LIV has made a habit of luring away big names year after year (count Mickleson, DeChambeau, Niemann…so on). And one name that refuses to fade from such conversations is Tony Finau. On a recent episode of The Sliced Podcast, hosts Sam Harrop and Ben Coley dissected the latest wave of speculation.

“You’ve basically got a load of 40-year-olds on the PGA Tour thinking, well, it would be quite nice to get 50 grand for finishing last…Other people have mentioned Tony Finau, who comes up every single year,” Harrop said.

This prompted Coley to quip jokingly, “He’s sh*t now, so maybe that makes sense. He’s got legal settlements to do. He’s got an abundance of children,” Ben joked. “Tony, where he be now, maybe the answer is LIV.”

Finau, as everyone knows, assumes a family-oriented image with six children on his back, rooting for him. At the same time, he has been the target of two high-profile contract disputes in Utah courts, stemming from early back-stage investments in his brother’s golf career. Both cases have got several hundred thousand dollars at stake, and with Finau’s current PGA Tour performance, not much monetary help from tournament earnings can be expected.

Tony had an underwhelming 2025 campaign. In his first ten starts, Finau missed four cuts – including The Masters and THE PLAYERS Championship. He was able to notch only one top-five finish (a T5 at the Genesis Invitational).

So, of course, Finau might be looking for a career revival, which LIV’s rather easier setup might provide him. But that is not the only reason why his name has popped up in this infamous rumor circle, which every PGA Tour player secretly frets.

Finau’s name has been circulating on LIV since 2022, the inception year of the Saudi-backed league. It somehow gained traction last year, when he withdrew from Tiger Woods‘ Hero World Challenge without explaining. Although later he did clarify that he had a nagging injury as a reason for his withdrawal.

“I called Tiger and made sure he knew. He said, ‘I would’ve told you to do the same thing,'” said Finau as reported by bunkered. But the internet has never been merciful to any. Almost immediately, the internet sleuths concluded that Finau’s absence at Woods‘s event was a hint at his pending move to LIV.

And of course, it didn’t help when weeks later, his wife posted a cryptic TikTok video, which naturally intensified the chatter. Alayna Finau posted a playful video on the app, which was set to a Hannah Montana audio about avoiding “more drama.” The clip showed the couple lounging poolside as she turned the camera to Tony and lip-synced, “Hey Miley.” “Hello, drama,” he replied. To many, it was a cheeky link to her husband’s alleged switch.

However, Finau has always been upfront and has done his best to quash the rumors. In an interview with Golfweek last year, he called such allegations “not true” and ardently insisted that his commitment lies completely with the PGA Tour.

“I’m more than happy where I’m at on the PGA Tour and looking forward to 2025,” he said. “When I tee it up in Maui, it will all go away, so I don’t worry about it one bit,” he said at the end of last year.

But somehow, these rumors have found their way back to Finau. As Ben Coley and Sam Harrop discuss, Finau might be looking for “one last career payday.” At the same time, Finau holds a certain connection with LIV that certainly doesn’t help his case.

The Jon Rahm connection

What doesn’t help is Tony Finau’s close friendship with Jon Rahm. “There’s a strong friendship with Jon Rahm, however, which won’t help the cause of those hoping that he stays on the PGA Tour. But, anyway, like I say, it came up last year. It came up the year before. And he hasn’t gone, so I don’t know,” Harrop says.

Rahm, who has been on the Tour since 2023, reportedly joined it for more than $300 million. The two have often shared practice rounds at the exclusive Silverleaf Club. When the Spaniard defected to LIV, Finau was one of the very few who supported his decision. “I think he made the best decision that he felt was right for his family and himself,” he told Sports Illustrated. “I’m happy for him.”

For now, Finau seems content to stay put, and that’s exactly what those around him would hope for. Despite the swirling speculation, the hosts of The Sliced Podcast couldn’t help but acknowledge the Utah native’s unique character. “Finau’s got the reputation of being, like, the nicest, most lovable man in golf. But I just think there’s an edge. That’s all I’m saying. I’ve always thought there was a bit of an edge,” Harrop added.

Only time will tell who those two new names joining the LIV base camp are. And if our six-time major champ is one among them or not.