Golfers are known to get easily irked by even the simplest of disputes, and the recent disagreement between PGA Tour veteran Tony Finau and rookie Alejandro Tosti at the Texas Children’s Houston Open certainly proved this. At stake was the question of who was away, and tensions flared as they argued over playing order during their round on Saturday.
Finau had set a tournament record with a spectacular 62 on Friday, putting him in the lead at nine under par. Tosti was two strokes behind, and Thomas Detry followed closely, trailing by three strokes. This trio made up the final group for Saturday’s play at Memorial Park.
Both Finau and Tosti had a rocky start to their round. Finau bogeyed the opening hole and failed to birdie the par-5 3rd, while Tosti, battling a shoulder injury, pulled his drive left and ended up with a double bogey on the 2nd hole.
The disagreement about playing order emerged when both players found their tee shots on the fourth green dangerously close to each other. On-course reporter John Wood noted that both Finau and Tosti started pacing around their birdie putts, each believing it was their turn to putt. The situation felt almost like a match-play scenario given the close proximity of their balls.
While Finau is an experienced pro on the PGA Tour, Tosti is in his rookie season after earning his card through the Korn Ferry Tour. Tosti had faced controversy late last season when he was forced to withdraw from the KFT’s Boise Open due to a disciplinary matter. He was also involved in an incident where he and five other pros were penalized for taking an unauthorized shuttle at the Lecom Suncoast Classic.
The fourth green discussion between Finau and Tosti did not have the audio recorded, but Detry was brought in to provide an unbiased judgment. Eventually, the group reached a consensus that Tosti would putt first. Finau marked his ball and stepped back.
Tosti, however, seemed displeased, picking up his ball and taking a walk along the length of the putt to get another read. Throughout this time, he wore a smile and seemed almost amused by the situation.
After a couple of minutes of deliberation, Tosti placed his ball back down, only to continue studying the line and smiling. Eventually, he marked his ball again, this time using a tee, and approached Finau.
The Golf Channel broadcast then sought the input of PGA Tour rules official Mark Dusbabek, who shed light on what NBC analyst Steve Sands called a “wild scenario.” Dusbabek explained that there are no specific rules about playing out of turn in stroke play, and the situation could be left to agreement or determined by using a random method in cases where two or more balls are equidistant from the hole.
According to data provided by ShotLink, Finau and Tosti were each approximately 38 feet, 8 inches from the hole, so a random method was the next option. Dusbabek humorously suggested flipping a coin, with Sands playfully interpreting “the home team” as referring to Finau, the defending champ and 36-hole leader.
During the rules explanation, Tosti took the opportunity to show Finau where he would stand if he putted. Finau’s ball mark was slightly to the left of Tosti’s, meaning Tosti would have Finau’s mark between him and his own ball when he putted.
After multiple discussions and a bit of confusion, it was agreed once again that Tosti would putt first. Finau adjusted his mark slightly to the left.
Wood commented on the rule change from 2019 that allowed players to tap down spike marks on the green, noting that Finau preferred to see a putt and worry about fixing any indentations caused by spike marks later.
Finally, after 3 minutes and 23 seconds, Tosti hit his putt, which had perfect speed but ultimately missed to the right. He tapped in for a score of 4. Finau followed suit, his putt falling about 18 inches short. He tapped in for a par as well.
However, the high tensions between Finau and Tosti did not end there. On the fifth hole, after their first confrontation on the fourth, Tosti made a birdie putt and celebrated with two big fist pumps directly in front of Finau. This act seemed intentionally confrontational, as reported by Wood.
Tensions escalated once again on the sixth hole when they disagreed once more about playing order. Wood described the atmosphere between the two players as icy and uncomfortable, noting Finau pointing at Tosti before walking away, while Tosti smiled seemingly incredulously.
Despite the tense moments, both Finau and Tosti managed to make par on the sixth hole. By the eighth fairway, the situation appeared to have calmed down as the NBC cameras captured an image of them seemingly clearing the air.
At the end of the round, Finau finished with a two-over 72 and did not speak to the media. Tosti shot a 68, earning a share of the 54-hole lead with four other golfers, including the current World No. 1, Scottie Scheffler. However, Tosti was not asked about his interactions with Finau during the round.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What happened between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti at the Houston Open?
Finau and Tosti had a dispute over playing order during their round at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. They could not agree on who was away and had multiple discussions and moments of tension.
Were there any previous controversies involving Alejandro Tosti?
Yes, Tosti had faced controversies in his rookie season, including being forced to withdraw from a tournament due to a disciplinary matter and being penalized for taking an unauthorized shuttle. He had earned his PGA Tour card through the Korn Ferry Tour.
How did the disagreement over playing order get resolved?
After discussions and involving another player to provide an unbiased judgment, it was agreed that Tosti would putt first. Finau adjusted his ball mark slightly to the left.
Was there tension between Finau and Tosti throughout the round?
Yes, tensions were high between Finau and Tosti, with confrontations and confrontational actions occurring on multiple holes. The atmosphere between them was described as icy and uncomfortable.
How did Finau and Tosti perform in the tournament?
Finau finished the round with a two-over 72, while Tosti shot a 68 and shared the 54-hole lead with four other golfers, including Scottie Scheffler, the current World No. 1.
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