Utah Falls Short In PGA Junior League Championship Defense
Oct 11, 2022, 2:17 PM
Tony Finau of the United States celebrates with his family after winning the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities on July 24, 2022 in Blaine, Minnesota. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Team Utah finished the 2022 PGA Junior League Championship in fifth place while North Carolina prevailed to secure its first title.
Team Utah featured PGA Tour professional Tony Finau’s son, Jraice, 10, and his nephew, Jordan Ofahengaue, 12.
Unfortunately, the Utah team from Lehi was defeated in the quarterfinals and failed to reach the semifinals of the tournament after falling four shots short of qualifying for the final four.
Talk about a support team! Jraice Finau putting in front of his @PGAjrLeague Coach Tele Wightman and dad/caddy @tonyfinaugolf today at the @UtahPGAJrSeries Mick Riley Junior!
Jraice won his age division with a (-7) 30!!#UtahPGA #UtahGolf #UtahPGAJrSeries pic.twitter.com/eSRy1fk5wf
— Utah Section PGA (@UtahSectionPGA) July 7, 2022
“This is a great event,” said Tony Finau. “I was really blown away by the production and presentation of it all. This is something that my son will definitely play in the future, and hopefully, we will have that opportunity next year!”
Impressive Outing For Jraice Finau
However, Jraice concluded his week at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, starring in the final day of competition. The eight teams that failed to qualify for the semifinals all competed in a two-person scramble. Jraice and his teammate Blake Brown shared second place in the competition with Team Connecticut.
It was the first PGA Junior League Championship that Jraice has competed in. Prior to the competition, Finau’s wife and Jraice’s mother, Alayna Finau, shared via social media how her oldest son a year ago was focused entirely on basketball but has now become a “full-time golfer.”
RELATED STORIES
Jraice is often documented playing golf with his father when not competing on the PGA Tour and is quickly aspiring to follow in the footsteps of his father as he chases a professional golf career.
As for Tony Finau, it remains unknown when he will next participate in a PGA Tour event. Last month, Finau competed and won the Presidents Cup for Team USA following the conclusion of the 2021/22 PGA Tour year.
In years past, Finau has waited until the Sony Open in early January to compete in his first PGA Tour event. The Sony Open is hosted in Hawaii.
