The Loop

Tony Finau loves Kobe Bryant so much that he wore these outrageous golf shoes on Mamba Day

August 25, 2017

Forget about his golf prowess, Tony Finau is probably best known as the rare tour pro who can dunk a basketball. But Finau's hoop skills go well beyond that, having been a standout high school basketball player in Utah. And on "Mamba Day" (8/24 -- Get it? Those are the two uniform numbers Kobe Bryant wore during his career. Brilliant marketing by Nike.) Finau showed off a different part of his game in honor of his favorite athlete:

Effortless range there. Just like on the golf course.

But Tony's biggest Bryant tribute actually came on the golf course. In the form of these, um, bright golf shoes in Lakers purple and gold:

"Fresh" is one way to describe those, Tony. To each his own. . .

Wearing his new favorite shoes in Thursday's opening round of the Northern Trust, Finau got off to a rough start with bogeys on five of his first eight holes before rallying on the back nine to shoot 72. Phew. For a moment, we thought he might really honor Kobe by shooting a Mamba-like 81.