Tony Finau has been forced to pull out of another PGA Tour event, this time the Grant Thornton Invitational in Florida. He was due to team up with women's world No.1 Nelly Korda but announced on Wednesday that he will be unable to participate due to a persistent knee issue.
"I am disappointed to withdraw from the Grant Thornton Invitational as I continue to recover from my knee injury," Finau expressed.
"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."
This announcement comes just a week after Finau had to withdraw from the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, an event hosted by Tiger Woods.
His withdrawal sparked speculation that he might be considering joining LIV Golf, with the Mirror US suggesting that the PGA Tour star was a prime target for the breakaway league in 2025.
However, Finau was quick to dismiss any potential move to the Saudi-backed circuit, attributing his decision to his knee problem.
"They're not true," Finau said regarding the rumours of him joining the LIV circuit. "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.
In an effort to set the record straight, Finau also took a direct approach by reaching out to none other than Woods. "I called Tiger and made sure he knew," he explained. "He said, 'I would've told you to do the same thing.'"
Delving into personal challenges, the six-time PGA Tour winner opened up about the struggles with his knee that have plagued him for the last two campaigns. He confessed: "The last couple of seasons have been kind of rough with my knees."
"I'm optimistic about this coming season about being more fully healthy than ever."
Eager fans can anticipate seeing Finau back in action at the start of the PGA Tour's new season come January. Revealing his comeback plans, Finau announced an intention to grace the tees at The Sentry tournament in Hawaii within three weeks.
