Inside the Mind of Tony Finau — Lessons on Pressure, Purpose, and Performance

Tony Finau joins Trey Wingo on Straight Facts Homie for an unfiltered conversation about the Ryder Cup, leadership, and the mindset it takes to perform under pressure.

Finau breaks down what makes the Ryder Cup unlike any other event in golf, how Bethpage Black will shape strategy for both teams, and why representing Team USA remains the ultimate test of composure. He shares lessons from 2018 Paris and 2021 Whistling Straits, what he learned from playing alongside Tiger Woods and Brooks Koepka, and how trust and chemistry decide matches more than swing mechanics.

Finau also opens up about his journey from hitting balls into mattresses in his family’s garage to becoming one of the most respected players on Tour — a story of work ethic, faith, and consistency that continues to inspire golfers around the world.

Whether you’re watching for Ryder Cup strategy, mental toughness, or pure golf insight, this conversation delivers timeless lessons from one of the game’s most grounded pros.

More Straight Facts Homie! Episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLihC6TAafKWcDbvIlAMc87HibcOlDYf8c&si=sPioGmRdOG8yZOVk

Some Quick Facts: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLihC6TAafKWfD9U_ly2tdTcFaRBnX2VsI&si=9lp2eHAHCbLNmA3P

✅ Subscribe for more fact-driven sports analysis
👍 Like the video to help more golf fans find it
🧠 No hot takes. Just information that helps you watch smarter.

#TonyFinau #RyderCup #TeamUSA #BethpageBlack #GolfPodcast #StraightFactsHomie #TreyWingo #PGATour #GolfStrategy #GolfMindset #GolfTalk #GolfAnalysis #SportsPodcast #ProGolf #Golf

Hey everybody, what’s up? Welcome in to another edition of Straight Facts Homie, the podcast where we don’t yell at you. We don’t tell you what we feel and our emotions. We give you the information and the data and let you decide and try to make you a smarter sports fan. And of course, every show we have a trusted voice coming on to talk to us. And talking to us today about what’s going to happen maybe at Beth Page at the Ryder Cup next week is a two-time member of the US Ryder Cup team, Tony Phen. But before we get to that, as we’re recording this, uh, it’s the day that the news came down that Robert Redford has passed away at the age of 89. And for a certain generation of people my age, maybe to 40 years old, I’m not sure there’s a bigger, more iconic movie star that’s ever walked the planet. And just go look at the number of grand slam home run all-time banging movies that Robert Redford made. He starred with Jane Fonda in Barefoot in the Park. He starred with Paul Newman and Butch Cassidy in the Sundance Kid. Did it again in The Sting with Paul Newman. Also had a great movie called The Candidate, which was political satire way ahead of its time. A movie called Downhill Racer. Then he did Three Days of the Condor, an epic spy thriller. And then just for fun, he starred with Barbara Stryisan in The Way We Were and with uh Mia Pharaoh in The Great Gatsby. And then he did Meryill Streep and starred with her in Out of Africa. And in between he did shows like the great Waldo Pepper, The Hot Rock, uh All the President’s Men, one of the greatest movies of all time, Sneakers, Spygate. He was also in some of the uh Marvel comics, Marvel comic movies. Just go through the list. Jeremiah Johnson. It is unbelievable how many great fantastic movies Robert Redford made. And he also created the whole Sundance Film Festival to get young artists out there and get their product seen. Robert Redford passing away at the age of nine is an absolute blow to people who love movies and who love true movie stars. He was one of my all-time favorites. He will always be missed. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. And now, let’s get to this week’s trusted voice on Straight Facts Homie with Tony Feno. Uh great to have Tony Feno with us on again. Tony, good to talk to you again. Um, just out of curiosity, um, how much is it, uh, what what are you thinking about not being there in part of the RDER Cup this year, having been on a couple of teams and been on both sides of it? What’s it like to to want to be there and know you’re not there at the moment? Yeah, thanks, Trey. Um, it stings a little. There’s no question. It definitely stings when you have your heights or sights set on being on the team, you know, to start the season. This is a tournament that I want to be involved in, teams that I want to be a part of, you know, for the rest of my career once you get the taste of being a part of a RDER Cup. Uh there’s really nothing like it, I feel like, in in all of golf and and really in all the sports. So, it definitely stings uh having to watch and not be a part of it, having been a part of these teams. But at the end of the day, you got to earn your way there. You got to earn your spot. And the 12 guys we have uh playing on the US side have all earned their spot to be there. And um you know, I’m I’m still still excited to to tune in and watch the guys get after it. Yeah. You know, I talked to so many people in golf and they all say the same thing. It’s it’s the best thing and the biggest thing that we do from a players perspective. What makes it so special? Man, so many so many things make it special. Uh you know, it starts with the fans. I feel like the fans bring so much energy to this event. uh electric energy unlike any other event that we are part of and majors included you know as fun as all the major championships are there’s a certain energy that comes with being part of a team playing for your country um having you know the US on your back and knowing so many people are following there’s just an energy and a buzz uh and that’s so electric about being a part of these events that are unlike any tournament any golf tournament in the world so uh that’s the start you’re playing with guys that you’re used to playing against, you know, and you have them as your teammates. That commodery is is unlike anything we have again in all of golf. We’re used to being individuals playing for ourselves, you know, for our families and and kind of a solo mission, if you will. Most of the time we’re playing. When you’re playing in the RDER Cup, it’s it’s about your teammates. It’s about your captains, your country. You’re playing for so much more than yourself, and you feel that. So, those are all things that just make the RDER Cup so special. And then you have the history guys that have come before you that have put their, you know, their sweat and their their their blood, sweat, and tears down on the line for our country to to play for our flag. And just to have that honor and extreme honor is just unlike uh anything I’ve ever been a part of. Uh shed many tears with the national anthem uh playing. uh just the honor that it is to be a part of something special like the RDER Cup to be either whether you were pig played your way on the team but to be a part of those teams is just uh an energy and intensity unlike anything I’ve I’ve ever been a part of. You know 2018 was a seminal year for you in a lot of ways and things you were able to do and things you were able to accomplish. But I remember uh at at the PGA Championship at Bel Reeve, you were paired with Captain Jim Furick. Uh and and you wanted to make sure that you made your case for him to pick you and I believe you what in that round you guys played together, you had what 10 birdies if I’m not mistaken. Yeah, that’s right. I had 10 birdies at Bel Reef. Yeah, I knew I knew it was basically a try out. He paired himself with Xander and myself, Xander Schoffley, and we both were kind of up and coming and had great seasons to kind of try to punch our way onto the team. Um, but we were kind of outsiders at that time, and so we were both trying to play our way onto the team and so I knew that the chances of both of us making the team were pretty low. Um, so you know, uh, I think Xander and I both knew we needed to put our best stuff forward and, uh, and I was able to that week, I think, impress Jim enough to know that at least for a best ball, I was going to be I was going to be a safe bet. No question. Well, did did he say anything to you after that that sort of gave you an indication or did you say something to him like, “Hey, I’m just telling you this is what I can do.” I mean, was there was there any of that conversation during that round? Not a lot of conversation during the round. Um, but he did tell me after that, uh, you know, he was he was happy to see me play well, see me make a lot of birdies, and just keep doing what I’m doing, you know, and that’s that’s all I tried to do, uh, for the rest of that season. But, you know, the clubs do more talking than you can. You know, the club, you want the clubs to do the talking, and I think that season for sure. Um, I allowed my club to do the talking and and I was able to make that team. So, what was it like when you got the call, hey, congratulations. I’ve picked you to play on your first RDER Cup team. What What does that feel like? Yeah, it’s so many emotions. Uh the gratit, you know, a lot of gratitude, um a lot of humility for the years, the um the hard work that gets put into to being a part of something like that. And then the season that you have to know that you deserve to be picked and then the joy that comes from being picked. I mean, all of it wrapped up in um wrapped up in one gift in one phone call. So, it’s a it’s a phone call I’ll never forget and one that um I would say really elevated me into a mindset that uh I was one of the best players in the world and um and I had worked my way there and um and just so much excitement. But, you know, I’ll never forget that phone call from Jim. And um and just he he just stated to me like, “Look, you made it impossible for me not to pick you.” And um and so that was something that uh that I was really happy about was just that I played so well that I I forced his hand and he knew that uh I needed to be a part of that team um if we were going to have a chance to win. Yeah, 10 birdies will do that for you. Um I’m not sure. I’ve had 10 birdies all summer, but that’s really a separate issue. Look, I know your story because we’ve talked before in the past, but for people that don’t know, you talked about that phone call being a reward for all the hard work that that you put into this. Uh for people that don’t know, you know, you were going to go play basketball on a basketball scholarship in college at Utah State and then things took a different turn, right? Yeah, I had opportunities to play basketball. I played basketball in high school, but um you know, golf golf was my thing. And um I knew by the time I was about 12 or 13 was when I finally wanted to knew I wanted to be a professional golfer. But nowhere in my wildest dreams, you know, did I did I think that things were going to go go the golf direction. You know, my family, Polynesians in general, uh you know, we’re football, basketball, you know, we’re great athletes, but we don’t play golf. that’s not uh you know and in the neighborhood that I grew up in for sure and nobody was playing golf. My brother and I were the only ones there and and got made fun of quite a bit that we played golf. But um you know at the end of the day we learned I learned how to play golf. You know my dad had a makeshift driving range in our in our garage. You know we didn’t have the money to pay for range balls. The first time he went to a golf course he basically asked the professional you know how much is it for you know to go out there and hit these balls that I see these people hitting? and like, well, it’s about seven bucks for 50 balls, and you got 10 10 bucks for 100 balls. And and then he pointed to another area where the chipping and putting green were. And they’re like, well, that’s actually free. This is a city golf course. You can chip and putt for free. So, after doing some homework, my dad was basically like, well, we’ll come to the golf course and and chip and putt, and I’m going to make a driving range in our garage for my boys to hit. And that was the attitude that I had. No excuses. Um, and and just work hard, outwork everybody else. That was what my dad preached was that uh we’re going to, you know, we’re going to be disciplined to practice every day and and and just get after it. And I didn’t know how different my practice regimen was compared to other kids until I got quite older. Um my dad did a good job of of keeping me in my own bubble. Uh work hard and but that’s how I learned how to play. I learned how to hit I hit more golf balls indoor than outdoor probably till I was about 12 or 13 years old. I started playing when I was eight. So, for the first four or five years of my life, I 100% hit more golf balls inside than outside, which is crazy cuz we play an outdoor sport. But, um, those are just, you know, some of the humble beginnings that I’m talking about. And, and those are the times that you remember when you make when you get a phone call like that, you get to be part of something special like the Ryder Cup. You look back on what got you there and and the sacrifices that were made from your parents, the sacrifices you made yourself to achieve and accomplish something great. and all those all those feelings just come flooding back that um it was all it was all worth it. Yeah. And you know you sort of glossed over this for people that don’t understand when you say my dad created indoor driving range he basically hung up mattresses right in the garage that I mean that that was your range that we’re talking about. That’s exactly right. So if you can picture just a rectangular uh a normal rectangularized garage um it was probably you know 7 and 1 half 8t tall which was high enough for me at that time. I was only 8 years old when he when he put this up. But the mattress sit sat right in the middle of the garage. And so my brother and I started together. So we simultaneously hit into the each side. So my dad would would walk around to one side and watch my brother hit into one side and then he come to, you know, come to the other side and watch me hit. But we would hit at the same time so we could practice at the same time. He put it right in the middle of the garage. So we had no space for the car. It was all just a makeshift driving range indoor. Uh cement. We had to strip a carpet just on the cement that he just uh duct taped right into the cement. And we learned how to strike a golf ball right off this. And if we got steep, you know, our hands would hurt because it was cement underneath and and so there was a lot of things that we learned. He would spray paint right on the mattress where he felt like a pitching wood should go and where a seven iron should go and and onward and upward and how high a driver should be by the time we hit it there. And so we were very visual um field players because of that. And um but that’s that was the the humble beginnings that uh that I started and how I learned how to play the game of golf. My dad didn’t play golf. So Golf My Way, Jack Nicholas’s uh book that he had back in the day. That was our Bible. That was our golfing Bible. We learned how to grip the club from Jack. All the fundamentals uh my dad taught us were all from that book. And and then we just worked at it, you know, and that was um that was it. And we’re known for, my brother and I, you end up being known for hitting it really far. But the crazy thing is the last club we learned how to hit was was the driver. We chipped and putted. You know, we learned the game from the green bag because that’s what Jack that’s what Jack preached. And so Jack, you know, this is in the middle, you know, this is mid n 1990s. So Tiger had yet to kind of really burst onto the scene, right? So Jack was still that guy. And and so my dad was like, “Well, we’re going to learn from the greatest and we’re just going to um we’re going to follow the steps according to what his book is preaching.” So, uh you know, Jack Nicholas is a huge part of our story just in that uh his his Golf My Way book was our was our golfing bible. So, how did you how were you able to translate how it felt hitting into the mattress to then seeing the ball go outdoors? I mean, that that had to be okay, that sounded good, right, in the in the garage and it felt like good contact. I think it’s going where I think it’s going and then you go outside and hit it and like wow it is it doing what I thought or was it what did that take a little bit of time to adjust to? Yeah, we would get out on the golf course and it’s crazy how good the ball flew. You know, I think that’s it’s hard to describe. You know, we we were used to hearing the mattress after we hit, but we would go outside and uh often enough and see the golf ball fly. You know, once a week we would go to this golf in the round in Salt Lake City, which is um an all year driving all year round driving range. So whether it was cold or hot, we’d be out there at least once a week. My dad, uh would pay for balls and we would go out and see the ball fly. And so um but it was it was crazy the contrast. I look back now and I still if I didn’t live through it, I I was just like, you know, that that’s impossible. You shouldn’t learn how to play an outdoor game indoor. Um but having lived through it, you know, it’s it was kind of a miracle looking back. But the ignorance is bliss, as they say. One of my dad’s favorite sayings is the the less you know, the better off you are. And that’s that was him. He didn’t know a lot about the game, but we had the desire and the work ethic um and just the passion once we really had once I really had the passion to um to be to be great at something and and that avenue that I felt like was golf. Um I really just got after it. You know, I look back now and and again, they it seems like it was sacrifices, but I remember at the time, you know, it was it was like something that I really gained a lot of love for and a passion for. And so, I don’t look at it as as much of a sacrifice as more of like, man, I end up just loving it. And I loved being in that garage. That was my soloulless. That was my therapy. Um, I would get mad, go hit more golf balls. I would be happy. I would hit golf balls. that ended up being my place of soloulless. And so, um, but anyways, a lot of a lot of great lessons learned, um, from those from those types of humble beginnings. I I just love that story. I mean, it’s one of my favorite things in the world and to see how it translated is is just fantastic. And and real quickly before we get back to the Ryder Cup, you were all set to go play and then you uh play college basketball and then someone gave you an invitation to some sort of event in in Vegas, right? and you got a sponsorship event into this thing and you did so well you’re like okay I I think we can do this and that sort of launched the whole thing right? Yeah pretty much 17 years old I had uh I got an opportunity to play in this ultimate game which was in Vegas. There used to be this like big sweep stakes game in Vegas and um the criteria was basically you just you couldn’t be you had to be um you couldn’t be a cornfairy tour player or a PJ tour player but like mini tour guys and then amateurs could also um sign up and so we had a guy that was willing to um to bet on us and so my brother and I started it and we ended up playing and I got to the final 12. I won my first two matches at 17 years old, which I I wasn’t expecting. And so I was one of 12 guys that had a chance at $2 million. And that’s where uh a 36ole finale for $2 million. So I meet with my parents and and basically like, look, I had already, you know, verbally committed to play to play golf at BYU. Um had an opportunity to play at Wever State, Utah State scholarships to plat to play basketball, but I, you know, and so there were opportunities there. And so we we meet with my parents and and they basically were like, “Look, all those opportunities are really cool. You have a chance at $2 million. You’re definitely turning pro.” So that’s that’s pretty much how that how that conversation went. And on on my way, I was at at the professional game. Ah, that’s just amazing. And it’s worked out pretty well for you. Just in case you hadn’t figured that out, uh, I think you made the right You think you made the right choice. Well, yeah. I I listened to my parents. I guess it was the right choice. Yeah. So, okay. So, now let’s go back to 2018. you know, you get the call, you’re going over there. Were you I mean, everyone thinks they’re prepared for that stage, you know, and the things that the the players that have been there before as a Ryder Cup rookie, they tell you what to expect. They tell all you this stuff and then you get there and the thing that I remember most about the the opening hole in Paris was that stadium they put around the first te was one of the more ridiculous things I’ve ever seen in my life. Were you ready for that stage or when you got to that stage, did it feel like, oh my god, this is unbelievable? Yeah, a lot of nerves, you know, you’re you’re really nervous. Um, leading up to the week once, you know, you’ve been picked, you know, I was I was extremely nervous as I prepared for it, you know, and just trying to make sure that I was ready. Um, you know, but the day of, you know, I wake up. I’ll tell you a quick funny story. So I, you know, in 2018, I’m I know I’m going to be paired with Brooks. And Brooks had just come off winning a couple major championships. And so he’s kind of the guy at the moment with the most uh majors over the last couple seasons on our team. And so once I know I’m going to be paired with Brooks, Jim is kind of roaming around in the practice rounds um between groups asking when do we want to go out. And I knew I was going to play best with Brooks. So me and Brooks have a chat and basically say, “We want to go first.” Jim comes back to us and says, “Jordan and JT want to go first, so you guys will go second.” We’re like, “Great, that sounds good.” He goes back to Jordan and JT. They say, “No, let Tony and Brooks go first.” So anyway, so Brooks and I go out first. That night, Brooks announces to everybody. He says, “Hey, Tonyy’s going to be hitting the first T-OT.” And I looked at him and I’m like, “No, you’re going to hit the first T- shot.” and he’s like, “No, I want you to hit the first T- shop.” So, that was really cool of Brooks to give me that opportunity, but I remember thinking to myself, “This is going to be wild.” You know, I I’m leading off the RDER Cup. I’m a rookie. And uh and so anyway, it’s a really cool honor that he gave me, but I I mean, I couldn’t sleep all night. And so, we end up finishing this meeting. Everybody kind of, you know, chuckles at me as they walk out. Tiger taps me on the shoulder and I look over and he looks at me and he’s like, “Don’t f it up, buddy.” And then just walks away. And I’m thinking to myself, “Oh, boy. So I, you know, that that added to the whole I was nervous and then that just took it to a whole another level. You know, Tiger was my golfing hero, golfing idol growing up. You know, he was my era. So, um, as a as as a kid. So, I was I was extremely nervous. You know, I didn’t really sleep all night. But, uh, I will say when I woke up that morning, got to the golf course, got a golf club in my hand, and started doing my warm-up, um, you know, it was it was like riding a bike. You know, I was ready to rock and and ready to go. I wasn’t nearly as nervous as I imagined I would be over this T-OT. Um, and I ended up just hitting a 300 yard three iron at 7 in the morning, 50°, uh, you know, right down the right down the middle of the fairway. Um, so that was that was pretty wild. But, uh, everything I remember from that was just that, uh, I’ve never seen this amount of amount of people and felt this amount of energy on a T-OT. Um, couldn’t feel my arms. you know, you in that situation, you just trust your you just trust your your swing. Um, as long as the ball gets on the tee, you know, I knew I was going to be all right. And so, um, once I teed that ball off and and hit that first T- shot, I, you know, I actually was able to settle in. Um, but there was, you know, there no feeling like like that first T- shot of the RDER Cup. Yeah. And you guys, the thing about that cup that I remember is you guys started off great. you you and uh Brooks beat uh Rose and Rahm one up and then you guys took the first three matches and after the morning session it’s three to one like okay things are going great and that was the only session that the Americans won for the rest of the cup I mean they got swept in the afternoon uh that’s the next session you lost three to one and then uh you split the other one and then obviously the singles went the other way so when did you guys realize oh my god this is really getting away from us here. Yeah, I mean Saturday Saturday Saturday afternoon, you know, you know, coming back from four points in a Sunday singles in the RDER Cup is is a is a tall task. That’s the biggest margin of victory anybody’s come back from. And we were down four, you know, I don’t remember exactly, but we started to go down four or five points there Saturday afternoon. And and that’s when we knew like, all right, we’re going to have to do something special in singles to make this happen. But the thing about these team events that I know when you have this many guys, this many great players, um we all believe that we can come back from anything. We all believe we can win no matter what the odds are. And we believe that then in 2018, I still remember like it was yesterday. All the guys when we saw the singles matchups, we all looked at each other and said, “Look, we can do this. We can make this happen.” But that’s that’s the thing that I feel like separates so many great players. Having been in these in these rooms, being around these guys, that 2018 Rder Cup, I feel like on paper that US team may be the strongest team on paper like of all time, you know, and I and I’m even looking at myself as probably the weakest link and the the other 11 guys, you know, you start to name them, great, you know, Hall of Famers, major champions, you know, obviously Tiger and Phil. So that team was inc an incredible team. So to be to have that be my first one to have Tiger Enfield on the team. So many of my great peers that you know um I got to get to know better. Um and the huge the huge thing is that they respect you. You go out and win matches. You go out and prove that you can um play under this immense pressure and win points for your team. You know they I gained a lot of respect I feel like for my guys. Um you know I was able to have a winning record. one of only, I think, three guys at that RER Cup to have a winning record. And so that was that was huge for me and my confidence and just again to to gain the respect of these guys that I’ve that I look up to, that I compete against um and just some of the best players that I’ve ever played. All right. So, the excitement of being named is then quelled by the disappointment. What did it feel like knowing we didn’t get it done? Yeah, I remember standing on the green and watching them celebrate uh the Europeans. um on their home turf, everybody going crazy and just soaking that in. And I and I and I knew I want to be on the next team and I want to win. Um that gave me more motivation than anything to make sure that I that I’m at the next the next RDER Cup cuz I want to be celebrating. I want to be a part of a winning team. And um it stings 12 all 12 of us are captains. Nobody likes to lose, but I don’t know. I don’t know any anybody that’s more competitive than those 11 guys that I played with in 18 and all wanting to be a part of that next team. Um, so watching another team celebrate knowing that they handed it to you and in the way that they did was a hard pill to swallow. Jim was an incredible captain. We had an incredible team. We had incredible vice captains. I mean, there’s really nothing I can point at that uh, you know, other than we just flat out got outplayed. And that stings as a competitor. You don’t ever want that to be the case. It it came down to execution, I feel like, more than anything else. And they out executed us in 2018. And um that’s a hard pill to swallow when you feel like you have a team that can dominate and and wasn’t able to do that. So um I made it a mission and and a huge goal of mine to be on the other side of that the next time around. Well, and and you certainly were. and you had to wait a little longer cuz the 2020 RDER Cup was postponed because of COVID and you don’t get out there to to whistling Straits until 2021. Steve Stricker is your captain at this situation. Uh there was no doubt you were making the team at that point because the way you had played uh leading up to that point. So what was it like getting together three years later and trying to sort of tell everybody, hey man, we can’t let this happen again. Not on our turf. Yeah, it it exactly that. But we had a whole different team. We had a lot younger team. They were fresh. They were hungry. Um and we were all, you know, the camaraderie was fantastic. You know, a lot of the older guys, this, you know, I would say our 2021 team, um, a lot of the older guys had kind of uh weeded out and so we had a bunch of fresh new guys. And I think that that was a great thing for us um in 2021. And so we had so many great players and and what I remember from that is just uh Stricks was the kind of captain that was like, “You guys go out and do your thing. I’m going to make this week easy for you. Um not going to have a lot of obligations. I want you guys to have this be like a normal week and you guys just go do your thing.” Um and so, you know, we obviously had, you know, a guy, you know, Scotty Sheffller. We had him before he was he went on this winning barrage, but we all knew that he needed to be a part of this team. And so, you know, 2020 was, you know, 2021 was so special being a part of that team. Um, almost in a veteran role more so because there were so we had, I think, six, six guys that were rookies, six guys that were kind of looked at as veterans and and I was one of those veterans. And so to kind of take some of these guys under un, you know, I guess not really under my wing, but um, play alongside them and um, you know, somebody like Harris English who I was able to play with and and win a match with. uh for him, you know, being in his debut RDER Cup. He’s a guy that’s going to be on the RDER Cup this year. Um but to kind of have him as my partner and um and do some special things with him was was a lot of fun. And it was sort of the exact opposite of what happened in Paris. You guys won the opening match, the the Friday morning matches, and you didn’t lose a single slate. So, I mean, you you kept that momentum. How much was that preached to you guys for the ones that were there in Paris to realize, hey man, one session is great, but that’s not nearly good enough. We have to just once we get that lead, we got to step on their next basically. Yes, that’s exactly right. You know, we were trying to steamroll them at the end of the day. It wasn’t we weren’t going to be content with um with winning one session, winning two sessions. We wanted we wanted them all. And that was what Steve was preaching to us all week was we want to win every session. We want to win every match. And so go out, you know, no matter what the score is. And um you know, step on their necks that, you know, that you said it. That’s exactly the that that was exactly the message. Um and I remember hearing that from from Stricks like, “Hey, this is a new day. This is a new session. This is a new match. Go out and and handle business.” So that’s what he preached all week. And um we were we were really able to do something special that week for sure. Um you you mentioned Scotty, he was the anchor match. uh in that uh in that uh Ryder Cup against John Rom. And the thing that I remember most about that that Sunday is that when you looked at the uh at the lineup, every American player going out had a higher world ranking than his European opponent except Scotty Sheffller who was going up against the number one player in the world, John Rom. And you guys just poured it on and and then Sheffller to go out there last and then take down Rahm. You you guys had to feel like it was it was just this thing that it was unavoidable. Like you guys at that point felt like a snowball rolling downhill just getting bigger and bigger. That’s exactly right. That’s exactly right. It was a snowball effect. Scotty got us started and you look up and he’s two up and he’s three up and he’s four up and you know we’re all just like we were antsy to get out there and keep adding to this lead. You know that was the feeling. It was such a momentum type of year that um type of RDER Cup that we had the fans, we had just so many things. Uh guys were playing well, we were putting better, we were playing better, we had the fans, and then the one match that everybody wanted to focus on was how are we going to start in singles? That’s always a huge those first couple matches are huge to set the tone. And Scotty really set the tone for the for really how that Rder Cup went. you know, he steamrololled uh Rombo and and you know, and he even talks about it today, you know, this is how big the RDER Cup is. That match and that RDER Cup um changed the course of his career. He’s he’s he’s mentioned that many times, you know, and he’s going to go on to accomplish many great things, but for us, I know how how much it means when I got picked in 2018. You don’t only get picked by Jim, my captain, the vice captains. You get picked by the players. Scotty knew that. Yeah. In order for us to win that Rder Cup, we needed him. He had the respect of the players, the respect of the captains, and then we had the full trust to put him out up against Rombo up first in the, you know, in singles. And so that I think has really given Scotty so much confidence as we look back on the last three or four years since then. He’s going on and he’s going to go on to do so many more special things. But it’s that’s how big the Ryder Cup is. You put yourself in that atmosphere and you know that you can win matches against the best players in the world in that immense pressure. you’re there’s something about the confidence that you carry yourself with after those events that carry you through really the next three five you know 10 years of your career knowing that I’ve played in the highest pressure the highest stage that this game has to offer and I executed and played incredible and so I think we’re seeing some of the fruit of that from Scotty. Yeah, no question. Yeah, he wasn’t the anchor match. You’re right. He he went out earlier. So when when you knew it was over when you I mean you guys like killed them by 10 19 to n I mean this was this was the kind of score it used to be when it was just the British against the United States. All good. All good. Six kids, you know. Well, you got you got 17 kids, Tony. It is likely to happen. Don’t worry about it. The chances of one of them coming in during this was pretty high. So pretty strong. Pretty strong. So when when you knew it was done, what was that feeling like that you you mission accomplished? Yeah. So I I had an opportunity to beat Ian Poulter. I I played Ian Poulter in the singles and I knew I had a golden opportunity to put a blemish on his scorecard. He’s never lost a singles match. I knew that going in. And um and Ian and Ian beat me. So I was a little bit for a very short time when I lost my match, I was upset that I didn’t do what I felt like I wanted to do. and and and just beat Ian and give him a blemish at on the RDER Cup. That didn’t last very long. That sting didn’t last very long. That’s how amazing the feeling was to just win the RDER Cup because at the end of the day, this is a team event. As much as you want your individual record to be incredible and you want to beat all, at the end of the day, this is about winning the RDER Cup for your country, for your teammates, for your captains. And we did it in the in a fashion that has never been seen in the history of the Rder Cup. You know, the most winningest team to be part of that and to let and allow that to soak in to be celebrating now on our home turf in front of them. Um to kind of give them that, you know, to get the revenge that I feel like I’ve been waiting for over the three years. That type of satisfaction, fulfillment is something that I I wish everybody in this world could experience. Something that that’s that’s that cool. to be a part of something that special um you know still brings goosebumps, tears uh to my eyes to to have experienced something like that. The joy, the self-fululfillment, the team fulfillment uh to accomplish something that great. Um you know, so many great feelings just flood back for me. Um listen, I think a lot of us remember Xander Schoffling in the cigars uh and the postgame at the post press conference. See, he was already on his way to having a really good night and then Dustin was out there as the oldest member. Oh, no. I can I can hang with these guys for for those that will never experience it. What is that party like afterwards when you know you’ve won the cup and like it is time to have a really good time? Well, I hate to, you know, I hate to ruin the vibe here, but to be honest with you, the Europeans party way better than the Americans. And that’s like like like way better. It doesn’t matter if they win or lose, you feel like you think they won. The party is at the European side and that that’s just point blank. Even when we won in 21, it was an amazing vibe. We had a great time, but it was like the party was on the European side. If you really want to have a good time, that’s where that’s where the party is at. So, even though we have guys that party and you know, we had Xander with the cigar and stuff, the real party is on that side. And um we got to up our game there when it comes to celebrating. There’s no question. Um but that’s a good problem to have. It’s better to win and not know how to celebrate than lose and celebrate, right? So um at the end of the day, you know, I I hate to disappoint people, but the Americans don’t party and celebrate nearly as well as the Europeans. If you guys didn’t know that, that’s just a fact. Um I think we’ve seen on on social media. It’s funny. I saw the American tab I think in uh in in 99 on the US side was like 3,000 and on the European side was like 40,000 or something you know and so they they really get after it with the alcohol and celebrating. Um that’s something I guess we got to work on. Um at the end of the day I think maybe we’re just we’re just tired and we’re ready to we’re ready to nap. I will say that year Colin Morawa um didn’t even make it to the afterparty. um he kind of drank himself uh he drank himself to sleep and went straight to his room and and don’t even remember anything about uh about the afterparty and we had to tell him like look bro you didn’t even show up. I think uh your your wife took you to the room and and you weren’t even there. So um that tells you a lot of guys you know they used to handle the their liquor back in college but I don’t think they can handle it anymore. Yeah. Time to step it up Colin at Beth Page. Come on. Let’s go. If we can pull this thing off. That’s right. Okay. So, so now let’s just let’s do something really interesting because if you don’t mind, I’d like to take I’d like you as a player to take us through Beth Page, okay? Because you played that course a couple of times. I played it once. I never want to play it again because it was the most aggravating experience of my entire life. But let’s start with the first hole, which plays about 430 yards. It’s a par4. What do you see on this hole? Yeah, it’s a dog leg right. And this is driver for everybody. Everybody’s going to be sending driver up towards the screen. And to me, it’s it’s a crime if we don’t send out if we don’t send out Bryson first and let him just send this T- shot at the green. Um, this is it plays downhill about 20 yards and a dog leg. So, to the front edge is only about 350 uh three, you know, something like that to the front edge, which is uh which Bryson’s very capable of hitting, but you’re going to see everybody hitting driver. You’re going to see a lot of birdies right out of the gate on number one. It’s a short it’s a short hole. Guys are going to be chipping into the green and and so right out of the gate, you’re going to see action. All right. What about the second hole? One of the shorter par4s out there. 389 yards. Yeah, I think it I think it’s it might be the shortest. Uh but this is an iron off the tea. Dog leg left. You’re just looking to put something in the fairway and then from there um you’re hitting into another another hole that I feel you’re going to see guys score on. So, right out of the gate, you got you’re going to have guys hitting wedges into the greens and you’re going to you’re going to see birdies made on the first two holes at Beth Page. All right. Then the first par three is the third hole playing about 200 yards. It says it’s the easiest hole on the golf course. Does it play like it? Yeah, this is going to be five between a five and a seven iron depending on where they put this uh put the uh the TE’s and then also where they put the flag. Um but yeah, I’ve never felt like this was a crazy hard green to hit. It favors a guy that hits a draw pretty well bunkered. Um but yeah, a solid hole. Now, but this is when you start to get into um you know, places where you got to start stepping up and hitting some really quality shots. All right, then we go into the first par five, uh the fourth hole, playing about 572 yards. And this is interesting, Tony, because it’s a par five and it’s the second toughest hole on the golf course. Yeah. Yep. The reason is uh you you have to you can only hit it about 300 yards off the tea here. So you’re going to see guys hitting like 3wood, fivewoods, and then you have a long iron into a green that’s really well bunkered. And if you’re not hitting it high and soft, it’s impossible to hold this green. So that’s going to be the biggest issue for guys um is is is hitting the fairway first, but the second shot, the green runs away from you. You know, it’s an opposite of of what a normal standard golf course would be. It’s not back to front. It’s actually front to back. And so when you’re hitting a four or five iron into a green that slopes front to back, you really have to hit it high to hold the green. And so you’re going to see a lot of good second shots here roll over the back of the green. And then it’s just about the guy’s short game to get up and down. Yeah. I think this was you’re going to see birdies and eagles. You’re going to see birds and eagles there though. Yeah. Yeah. And then we get to number five, which is just a beast. About 400 480 yard par4. Yeah. It’s extremely difficult driving hole. um to hit this to hit this fairway, you’re gonna have to have your best stuff. The fairway slopes left to right. So again, maybe favors somebody that hits a draw to kind of hold the fairway. Um but this is a hole. If you don’t hit the fairway, it’s a layup because it’s guarded by 80 yards of rough leading up to the green. And then again, a really hard green to hit. It slopes back to front and left to right. Um so this is where you’re going to start seeing some some maybe some uh groups start to separate themselves. you’re starting to hit really high quality shots in some of these holes, you’ll start to take it um you’ll start to win some of these holes even with a par. All right, then we get to the sixth hole, which is another uh sort of standard length par four, about 410 yards. Yeah, this is one of the very few um blind t-shots you have at Beth Beth Page. The guy’s going to be hitting to a fairway that’s, you know, 10 to 15 yards below where the T- box is and a really weird angle. The T- box is hard left and it slopes and the fairway slopes right to left. Um, but yeah, another one you’re you’re going to see guys hitting driver, but you’ll also see guys hitting woods off the tea and then very well bunkered as you can see. Um, turtle back type of green. So, anything in the middle of this green is going to be good. You’ll see some birdies, but you’ll also start to see uh some some big numbers over the last couple holes. And then seven, I think, is going to play as a par five, 550 yards. Yeah, this is probably the most most scorable hole on the front. Um, you know, you’ll have guys like Bryson and Rory taking it over the corner here and and hitting only like an eight iron or a seven iron into this green. So, uh, everybody can get there and a pretty lenient fairway from what I remember. So, you’re you’re going to see a lot of action here. Guys are going to make birdies. Guys are going to make eagles. And this is a point in the match where um you really you really want to start uh uh gaining a lead as we move into the back move into the back nine. Okay. Then we get another par three in the eighth playing another about 210 yards is what the scorecard says. Yeah, 210 yards, but it plays, you know, 7 to 10 yards downhill. Um the right side of that green is guarded by this tree. uh just need a high high quality mid iron uh to hit this green and if you hit it short of the green, you know, there is a hazard there. So, very well um bunkered and and very very well protected. But this is this is a hole. If you make a birdie, you’re probably going to win. You’re probably going to win number eight. And then you finish up the front nine with just a gentle handshake of a hole. Just a 460 yard par4. Yeah, this is this is a hole. Again, you have to hit the fairway at Beth Page. Um, that’s the most important thing. Um, but you also have to hit it with some length. This is a hard dog leg right to left. And again, a hole that I think just favors guys that draw the golf ball. Start it right at the bunker and and turn it over. Um, and then you have a green that’s again very well bunkered and a turtle back green. But this is a whole because guys hit it so far these days. You know, I still remember hitting wedge, nine iron into this green, even a gap wedge. And so guys will guys will make birdies on this hole. Some guys will uh not most of us watching. Uh then the the back nine starts with a you know I remember this hole the first time they played the US Open there. It just it seemed like impossible just to find the fairway. That’s how long this hole felt. Playing about 600 yards par five. Yeah. Yeah. No, this is actually a par4. Um about par four. I’m sorry. Yeah, it’s a par four. My apologies. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But it’s it’s 500 to 510 yards. Everything you can handle here. It’s a it’s it’s far. It’s long. It’s straight. It’s narrow. Really all the hardest things in golf. This hole is. You’re going to see a bunch of pars win this uh win this in singles. You’re going to see pars win this in baseball. And for sure pars win this in in alternate shot. It’s that it’s that tough of a hole. Um so this is where Beth Paige really starts to show its teeth. I feel like he’s on the back nine and and right out of the gate is going to kick you in the teeth right on number 10. And then we get to what I think is the heart of the golf course. 11, 12, and 13. 11th is a 435 yard par4. Yeah, this is one where guys uh will be laying back with uh with fivewoods. You something that’s, you know, you just want to hit something between 250 and 280. So, a lot of guys that’s going to be a three iron to 3-wood. Um, and then this is a hole that I actually see guys making some birdies. You’re going to have wedges into this green. It’s a really tricky green, especially the back pins. They’re really hard to get back to because you don’t want to hit it long. Um, but I still see this whole yielding uh yielding some birdies for these guys. Uh, and then we get uh to number 12, which is uh another long par five, par four, excuse me. 500 yard. 12. Yeah, 12 in my opinion is the hardest hole on the course. Um, it’s a hard T-shot. It’s it’s, you know, your ball’s kind of landing over the bunker there. Um, and it’s just a it’s just a hard hole. There’s no, you know, you have to hit the fairway. After you hit the fairway, um, it’s not a guarantee you’re going to hit the green and most likely you’re going to be hitting a mid to long iron into this green. Um, so everything you can handle. And then we’ve got 13, the last par five out there. It’s probably going to be close to 600 yards. Yeah, no doubt. Um, this is where, you know, it really gets uh dicey, really gets really fun, but uh again, a premium on on hitting the fairway. This is that famous two iron tiger hit, you know, where he has that club twirl and and hits it right to the middle of the green uh in 2002 when they had the US Open there. But this is the hole that uh that Tiger made famous because of that two iron. Um but guys are going to guys are going to be able to get there if they hit the fairway. really hard to hit the green into, but uh because it’s a par five, you know, you’re still going to see guys um make some birdies here. Yeah, I remember watching the T-balls in 2002 like how could they even find the fairway of the the T- box was that far back and then we get a a sort of a little a little breather kind of a short par three on 14. Yeah, it’s a breather uh as far as length, but because of the way the green is shaped, um it’s a it’s not it’s not an easy it’s not an easy hole. This is a a green that moves again front to back and so you’re going to need, you know, your distance control and spin control dialed in here if you’re going to want to hit this green and hit it close. And then we get to the finishing stretch starting with a 478 yard par4. Yeah, 15 to me is the second toughest hole on the course. Um hard fairway to hit and if you were to hit the fairway, it’s still a hard second shot to hit the green. Um this is just Patton, uh Beth Paige, you know, hard hard T-shot, hard second shot. Um if you’re able to hit two really good shots to the middle of the green, you you’re going to have a putt with a lot of slope. Um but par is a par is a fantastic score here on 15. Yeah. Number one handicap score a hole on the card. And then 16. Uh we get to another adventure here. Yeah. Do leg left downhill t-shot. Uh again kind of a blind t-shot just in that you’re hitting you know 20 yards 15 20 yards downhill. Um, but this is the point of the match where things really um, you know, you really start to pucker up and you got to hit some shots. You know, if you’re getting to hole 16 and in match play and especially out of RDER Cup, that means the the match is tight and you’re going to have to step up and hit some shots and it’s everything you can ask for right here. You have to hit a straight T-OT and then you’re going to have a mid to short iron in and uh, you got to execute to the best of your abilities over the last couple holes, 15 and 16. Yeah. And then 17 is another long par three. Yeah. 17 is a lot of matches are going to be made and uh uh you make or break here. It’s a tough tough It’s not an incredibly hard green to hit, but it’s tough to hit it close. They’re going to be guarding these pins um you know, front right, back left. You just have to be really precise to hit it close. And it’ll be really, really fun to watch guys down the stretch play this hole. As you can see, it’s a narrow green. Even though it’s very wide, it’s a very narrow green. So, you know, five, six, seven irons into this green. Um, you’re going to have to be real precise with the yardage. It’s going to be fun watching these guys come down the stretch though here with the with this tough 17 hole. Yeah, absolutely. Then 18 is just a you know, it’s a little uphill 410 yard par4. I there’s so much strategy that would go into this hole depending on on how the matches get here because you know if you if you’re if you’ve made it to 18 the match is close and you’ve really got to be strategic when you see all that bunkering. That’s right. That’s exactly right. Just you just have to hit this fairway that you know that’s the bottom line. Um I can’t say I’ve played this hole great over the years because of how tight it is. I just hit the driver because I’m like, I want to be able to make one good swing and make the hole a lot easier. If I hit the fairway with the driver, it’s a wedge. Um, and so that’s always been my strategy. But it’ll be really interesting to see. I see guys hitting four irons to driver there. Um, but guys are so good with their driver these days that I just I do still see guys just hitting driver off 18 and and again trying to make it easy. But this is going to be a hole that’s going to make or break the rider cuff and uh going to be so much fun to watch these guys come down the stretch and and just see if they can make some birdies. And you see that pin tucked uh back in the back right corner that probably going to be where it’s going to be uh for most of these uh most of these matches. Uh so we’ll see what happens and hopefully Tony next year will or next two years we’ll be talking about you playing uh in the RDER Cup again. Is that the stated goal for you more than anything else? Yeah, no question. Again, it stings not being a part of these teams, having been a part of many of these teams before. Um, but to me, you know, get healthy and and get after it and many great years ahead for me. I feel like my best golf is yet to come and so that’s where my mindset is at and and uh I want to be a part of these teams moving forward for sure. Well, it was a lot of fun watching you in 2021 and also how well you played at Paris in 2018 in your rookie Ryder Cup. So, uh, we’ll see what happens going forward. Hey, man, Tony, always great to catch up with you. appreciate the time and and best of luck and we’ll see what happens. Okay, 100%. We’ll see what happens. Thanks, Trey. Good to be with you again. You got it, buddy. Anytime, man. Thank you. Always great to catch up with Tony Fen now. I also recorded a halfforgotten history episode with him. You can check that out on my YouTube page as well. But again, this is the podcast about sports where we don’t give you opinions, we give you information and data and analysis from the best in the business, including Tony. Uh here’s hoping he gets on the next US Rder Cup squad because I know that’s something he desperately wants to be a part of again. Hey, if you liked what you saw today, we appreciate it. Tell your friends, tell your neighbors. Make sure you hit that like and subscribe button and we’ll see you next time on Straight Facts Homie.