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One of the more overlooked family connections in the golf world currently has to be the one between PGA Tour pro Tony Finau and NBA forward Jabari Parker. While Finau and Parker are both professional athletes, they’re also related as second cousins.
Tony’s Father, Gary, and Jabari’s mother, Lola, are cousins who talk often, as Cameron Morfit of Golf.com revealed previously. But while Finau and Parker aren’t seen hanging out or doing much together publicly, it appears the NBA forward has gone to see his cousin play live previously.
Jabari Parker Went to Watch Finau at U.S. Open
In the same story by Golf.com, Jabari’s mom details how her son doesn’t want to step into Tony’s spotlight. In turn, he attempts to stay out of the way when it comes to watching PGA Tour events live. But that doesn’t mean Parker hasn’t been around, and as Morfit details, he actually went to the U.S. Open in 2015 to watch his cousin play.
But as Lola explains, he did so without Finau even noticing he was in attendance.
“Jabari wouldn’t want to come out here and be recognized and be in Tony’s spotlight,” said Lola, who has never played golf and is attending her first tournament here this week. “So he tries to stay in the background. He likes golf. I hear he’s even learning to play golf. But if he watches Tony he is very quiet about it. He went to the U.S. Open and watched him for two days, and Tony didn’t even know he was there.”
After this news came to light, Finau joked that he doesn’t know how Parker, who stands 6-foot-8, was able to hide in the crowd. The 29-year-old stated that the two have a “mutual respect for each other.”
Tony Finau’s Basketball Career
While Finau and Parker’s day jobs are very different, it seems they aren’t all that different. As Finau’s PGA Tour profile details, he played center for his high school basketball team while leading them to the state tournament in his final two years. As a senior, the pro golfer averaged 11 rebounds per game.
Finau received college basketball scholarships but opted to go in the golf direction by turning pro after graduating high school. Through the middle of the 2019 PGA Tour season, Finau has built an impressive career, totaling more than $14.14 million in winnings while making the cut at 101 of his first 134 events.
Since 2017, Finau has played in 68 events and posted 37 top-25 finishes, 20 top-10s, four second-place results, one third and picked up one victory.
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