145TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP - ROYAL TROON
of fire knife dancing. Finau said: “She taught me how to spin fire.
“I don’t know if you guys know anything about Samoan heritage but spinning the fire knife was something my mum did.
“It’s pretty cool. I didn’t pick up any sports until after I’d learned how to do that.
“You practise with a fake stick at first. Instead of the knives, which are lit on fire, you practise with the stick.
“When you can manage the stick, it’s time to light it up.
“It’s quite a big jump. The most serious burn I got was on my forearm.
“I threw it up into the air but it missed my hand and landed on my arm. I had a pretty good gash.
“The trick is you have to catch on the i n a junior
Normal custom when things occur is for the player to offer his victim a signed ball, or a glove. Finau, though, was not for doing things by half.
The American tracked down the girl and showed up at her front door with a bunch of flowers, box of chocolates and a get well soon card. He’s classy on the course too. A top- 10 f inish at the PGA Championship last year announced his place among the game’s elite and he’s changing perceptions and images on several fronts.
Following the trailblazing Tiger Woods in breaking down barriers for the game of golf, Finau hopes he will be among a new inf lux of players brought into the sport.
He said: “I think you will start to see more minorities play golf.
“The game has got to turn in that direction a little bit more, especially in the States. I think it will get there and the