Many professional golfers join the commentary as a post-retirement career or just as a guest to share their expertise. Paul McGinley, Phil Mickelson, and many others have done this. These guest commentators often make predictions based on their skills and experience. Tony Finau was at the center of one such prediction that was so bizarre, yet so accurate that Jim Nantz was shocked.

It was the retired English golfer Nick Faldo who predicted that Tony Finau would win the 2022 3M Open, with 10 more holes to go in the final round. Bombs Darts Birds uploaded an Instagram post about the prediction. Tony Finau reposted it to his Instagram story and wrote, “Great call Sir Nick! Can’t forget that one!🏆👏🏾”

The 6x major champ predicted the 2022 3M Open. What’s more impressive is that there were 10 more holes to go, and Finau was 5 strokes behind the leader, Scott Piercy. Piercy was sitting at 19 under par, and Finau was 14 under par. With just 10 holes to go, Tony Finau had to not only cover the lead but also get past Piercy. But to Finau’s benefit, Piercy made some bogeys. Ultimately, Finau finished 17 under par and won.

It was clear that Piercy was the favorite to win the event at that moment. But when CBS golf play-by-play broadcaster Jim Nantz asked Nick Faldo who would win, he chose Tony Finau. “The only excitement I can give you is Tony Finau is going to win,” Faldo said. Nantz audibly reacted in surprise and disbelief to Faldo’s confident call, saying, “What!?!”

From what’s audible in the clip shared by Bombs Darts Birds, it could be said that Faldo intended to add some excitement and not just make a prediction. “That’ll keep you watching, hopefully,” Faldo said. Regardless of whether it was just for more engagement or truly a prediction, it did come true, as Tony Finau went on to win the 2022 3M Open.

While Tony Finau won the 2022 3M Open and has been performing consistently since then, his chances in major events in 2026 are slim.

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Tony Finau faces an uncertain 2026 season

Tony Finau isn’t automatically eligible for any 2026 majors because he doesn’t meet the long-term exemption criteria. He is not a recent major winner, a top-50 player in the world, or a recent FedExCup finalist. Moreover, his 2025 season wasn’t that great either.

The 6x PGA Tour winner participated in 20 events on the PGA Tour this season. Of these, he made it to the top 10 in only one. He also missed the cut in five events. His best finish was T5 at the 2025 Genesis Invitational. He even played at the weather-affected Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the DP World Tour and finished T99.

Despite this, golf journalist Matt Chivers believes that Finau may play in one major. “This probably means very little, and I imagine he’ll play at least the PGA Championship… But right now, Tony Finau isn’t eligible for any of the majors in 2026,” Chivers tweeted. Although Finau is currently not exempted, it does not mean he won’t play any major. It just means that he doesn’t have a guaranteed entry based on the 2025 season.

Tony Finau’s downturn is because of a knee surgery in October 2024. He had a torn meniscus repaired and cartilage removed. Since surgery, Finau played 21 tournaments and all four majors, but with unsatisfactory results.

Only time will tell if Finau can make it to any major event through other entry points.