“Don’t Get Bitter, Get Better” reads the title of the sixth episode of Full Swing (2023), featuring Tony Finau and Collin Morikawa. And their families. For the first time, fans got an intimate look at the personal lives of Tour pros, with Full Swing providing a revealing and sometimes heartbreaking BTS glimpse. In Finau’s case, a key storyline was the recent passing of his wife Alayna’s father. At that time, Finau said, “a lot of my focus was to make sure she was mentally and emotionally OK.” Skip two years, and he now feels Netflix portrayed his dedication to his family during that period as a “distraction.”
The PGA Tour pro began this particular conversation during a recent interview on All Those in Favor. Talking about their appearance in the first season, Tony Finau began at the interview, “So, when my wife and I decided that we wanted to do it, um, we knew we were gonna give them as much access as they wanted.” Despite his upcoming declaration, Finau agreed that “they [Netflix] did a good job, the whole Full Swing documentary.”
He continues, “I felt like you had to be willing to give them the time to shape your story, authentically, or else they can just take it wherever they want if you didn’t give them enough time, you know.” Following this realization, Finau and his wife decided to “give them the time just so they can try and create a narrative that’s just at least accurate,” and “authentic” to the 8-member family.
However, Finau continues, “So, but yeah, I thought it was great. Um, they definitely try to spin this narrative that, you know, my family is a distraction and all those things, but, um, you know, at the end of the day, I thought it was great that it proved to be the opposite, you know, that because not in spite of or despite of, you know, my family, um, I love having them around. Like, I wouldn’t have it any other way, you know.”
The key point of contention? In the episode, Tony Finau was traveling and spending a lot of time with his family. But the question remains: was it distracting Finau from the course? In 2023, Finau tried to address this question and said, “It was more important for me to be there for her during these firsts than really anywhere else. So could my game have taken a back seat? Maybe. Potentially. But that’s not really as important to me as my wife was and making sure I was there for her as the strength that’s she been for me for many years.”
Now, Finau says during the interview, “I feel blessed that we’re in a position that we can travel and do all these amazing things together, you know, and we won’t be able to do that forever, you know, our kids will grow up.” And Finau’s family is present in every sphere of his life, proving his statement, “Um, you know, everything comes secondary to who I am as a father, as a husband, and my family.”
During a six-hour weather delay at the 2022 3M Open, for instance, Tony Finau spent quality time with his kids, fishing for bluegill in a pond near his rental home adjacent to the 10th fairway at TPC Twin Cities. When he finally clinched his win, he said of his family, “To get a win with them here just means everything. It’s an amazing feeling to walk off a green knowing you won the tournament and walk right into your family, your kids’ arms.”
However, aside from Tony Finau, Netflix’s Full Swing has given viewers a glimpse into the personal lives of several golfers, including Rory McIlroy’s relationship with his wife, Erica Stoll.
Full Swing exposed Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll’s marriage drama
Netflix’s docuseries Full Swing put Rory McIlroy‘s personal life, particularly his marriage to Erica Stoll, under the microscope in its third season. In the series, McIlroy candidly admits, “I’ve struggled with trying to be the best golfer, the best husband, the best dad,” highlighting the challenges he faced in balancing his professional and family responsibilities.
In May 2024, it was confirmed that McIlroy filed for divorce after seven years of marriage, stating that the relationship was “irretrievably broken.” Sources revealed that loneliness had become a significant issue for Stoll, who felt isolated due to McIlroy’s demanding career. The birth of their daughter, Poppy, in August 2020 shifted Stoll’s priorities, leading her to seek a more stable family life away from the constant travel associated with McIlroy’s profession.
However, the couple’s separation was short-lived. McIlroy later filed a notice to dismiss the divorce proceedings, expressing, “Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together.” Following the dismissal, McIlroy stated in 2024, “Responding to each rumour is a fool’s game. Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”
So, Netflix has showcased plenty of personal moments – both the happy and the sad ones, at least.
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