[Golf Topic] 'Knife Dance' Finau Faces 18.8 Billion Won Lawsuit Controversy~

[Asia Economy Reporter Now Rae] ○…'Knife Dance' player Tony Finau (USA, photo) has been sued for a whopping $16 million (18.8 billion KRW)...

On the 28th (Korean time), the US Golf Channel reported, "A 55-year-old man named Molonai Hola (USA) has filed a lawsuit against Finau." The reason is that he provided large financial support to help Finau succeed as a golfer from a young age but has not received any compensation. According to Hola, he met Finau and his younger brother Gipper in elementary school in the 1990s and personally sponsored them. He covered rent, health insurance, living expenses, and even bought a car.

The costs, including lessons at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy, amounted to $592,000 (700 million KRW). "He promised to give 20% of his income once he became a golfer, but I never received any money," he claims. He is demanding reimbursement for the expenses, the promised amount, and compensation for emotional damages. Finau's representative stated, "We are aware of the lawsuit and are awaiting the court's decision," adding, "We have nothing further to say."

Finau debuted on the PGA Tour in 2015 and won his first title at the Puerto Rico Open the following year. Standing 193 cm tall and weighing 90 kg, his powerful long drives are his main weapon. He has earned a total of $22 million (25.8 billion KRW) in prize money throughout his career. Ranked 14th in the world, he performed well at last week's US Open, finishing tied for 8th. His ancestors are from the South Pacific island nation of Samoa, and he has a unique background of supporting his family by performing the knife dance as a child.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.