HALEY PETERSON: We would like to welcome Tony Finau here to the media center at the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba.

Tony, welcome. Making your seventh start back at this tournament, what's it like to be back?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, thanks. It's great to be back. We were just talking before we got on here, it's my family's favorite spot to visit. So it's a great resort and I enjoy the golf course. I don't think I would have returned as many times as I have if I didn't enjoy playing the place. It's a win-win for me and my family to be back.

HALEY PETERSON: What specifically do you really like about this golf course?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, it's a ball-striker's course, you're either hitting it on grass or you're taking a drop from the jungle, so you've got to keep the ball in play here. It's not a long golf course, but as my driving has improved it's become a golf course that I've think played better and has looked better to me. So I'm looking forward to driving it well this week hopefully and scoring well.

HALEY PETERSON: Making your season debut, what have you been up to since Presidents Cup?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, just being a dad really, that's about it. Being a husband and a dad at home, taking my kids to school. It's nice being on a schedule. I've been home for about a month now since the Presidents Cup and it's been really nice just hanging out with my kids for more than a week or two at a time. Just really being with them and enjoying an offseason, you know, for me.

It hasn't been an offseason for the PGA TOUR, guys have been playing and FedExCup points have been racking up for some of the guys. It's the first time in my career where after the Presidents Cup I really knew I needed some time away from the Tour and just away from the game and I was able to take that time. A couple weeks off and then just starting 10, 12 days ago, picked the clubs back up and now preparing for a little stress to end the year.

HALEY PETERSON: Coming off a season where you had back-to-back wins, what goals do you set ahead of this season?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, I haven't -- I'm a goal setter, but I haven't made my goals for this season just yet. Again, I think just getting the clubs back in my hand and knocking the rust off. Before the tournament starts on Thursday, I'll definitely sit down with my team and go over our annual goals. It's something that I definitely look forward to.

I know for sure right off the top of my head being on that Ryder Cup team in Rome is going to be a goal of mine and it's something that I think a lot of guys want to be a part of and I'm included in that. I would love to be a part of that team in Rome, so I think right out of the gate I know that's something that will be one of my goals.

HALEY PETERSON: A family man yourself, Presidents Cup teammate Max Homa just had a child. What parenting advice do you have for a new father?

TONY FINAU: The best parenting advice I have is just take care of your wife, that's it. The wife is the one that runs the home and women run the world. My mom and my wife are two of the strongest people that I know, probably the two strongest people that I know. The best advice I have for any husband is take care of your wife. If Max does that, the family and the kids will be just fine.

HALEY PETERSON: Do we have any questions here? Q. (No microphone.)

TONY FINAU: Yeah, it wasn't that hard this time around. Again, my experiences in the past have shown just being part of some of these teams late into September, you're kind of on from August to September, you've got the FedExCup Playoffs, you're trying to make a push to East Lake, and at East Lake you're trying to win the FedExCup. And then you really don't have any time off. You have a couple weeks to prepare for a big cup, whether that's the Ryder Cup or the Presidents Cup.

This year I knew in the back of my mind that I was going to make sure I was prepared for the Presidents Cup, but when the Presidents Cup was done and I wanted to rest, I knew I needed it. Again, just my experiences in the past, I knew that I needed to just get away from it for a little bit mentally and emotionally and physically, then would be excited to come back and play. That's how I feel now. I'm definitely eager to compete again and just be back out and doing what I love and that's competing and playing golf.

Q. What do you expect out of your game this week after taking that time?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, I don't feel too rusty. I had a nice practice week last week in Scottsdale. I spent about 10 days back home in Scottsdale and the weather was perfect. They are coming out of overseed, most of the golf courses there. The greens weren't as good as I would have liked to practice on, but overall I feel like I had some really nice reps. I had a nice day yesterday with my caddie, reuniting with him since the Presidents Cup and things.

My game feels good and I expect to just continue competing at a high level here, honestly. I think my game has improved I feel like each year of my career and I'd like to just pick up kind of where I left off hopefully.

Q. Another question, you mentioned how (inaudible) sometimes you played well here, you pick your spots. (Inaudible) schedule next year and your schedule, what do you hope happens (inaudible)?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, I just know that I enjoy it. I enjoy playing a lot of these events. Again, this is our family's favorite resort, one of the golf courses that I enjoy playing. It's a place that I hope I can come back and compete. That's the case for I think a lot of the fall events. I'll be playing next week in Houston, another golf course that I enjoy, another city that I like. I think a lot of the top players would agree that some of the fall events are some of our favorite on Tour.

Q. The field this year is the more stacked than it typically is. How cool is that for (inaudible)?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, it's amazing to get this type of field. I think as we all alluded to, this is my seventh start. One of the stronger fields that we've had in the seven starts that I've had here. It's just nice. I think guys that visit here and play the golf course enjoy the vibe. It's a golf course that I've always been a fan of, it's a place that I've always been a fan of. I think as guys have traveled and taken the time to play it have enjoyed it. We have the ex-No. 1 player in the world here, Scottie Scheffler. It's cool to have a really nice field.

Q. Next year you now know what the extra elevated events are going to be. Have you had time to digest what the schedule's going to look like from January on this year and, you know, is it an exciting time for you to see all those events?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, no doubt. All the events that have been elevated I really enjoy. I play most of them and I'm looking forward to that challenge. I think it's nice to have a lot of the best players in the world playing together more often, I think that's something that our game needs and the reason for these elevated events. So I think the events that have been elevated this next season I'm really looking forward to. I'm sure most guys in the world, top players in the world would agree.

Q. Maybe going out on a stretch here, but any parallels to 2016 Puerto Rico, a track you first won on Tour?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, I think there are some parallels. I think mostly just the vibe, similar weather. It can get breezy here. I would say Puerto Rico gets a lot windier than here. I would say just the vibe and the feel kind of puts you in kind of the same mind frame. Yeah, I think looking back in 2016, you know, you were there, Doug, I think it's definitely some good vibes and hopefully I bring those winning vibes here this week.

Q. (No microphone.)

TONY FINAU: That's right, that's right.

Q. Tony, this year will be the final year of the Korn Ferry Tour of Q-School, how it will work, and next year it's switching back. What are your memories of 2013 when you got through that week?

TONY FINAU: Yeah, I get wonderful memories of 2013. Q-School has been a bittersweet type of experience for me. It took me seven times to get through Qualifying School to finally happen in 2013. But anytime I'm asked what my favorite golf memory is or a memory that stands out to me maybe amongst others, the 2013 Q-School is right at the top just because I had tried so many times to finally break through, and at second stage to know that I was going to have at least some conditional status going into final stage, and in final stage finishing third and knowing that I was going to have pretty close to full status on the Korn Ferry Tour, that was a big deal for me in my career because then I knew I had a place to play consistently. I can test my game on a weekly basis on a real tour against real players and on real golf courses. That was the first time I felt like there was a lot of runway in front of me, if you will, as far as opportunity, and I was able to kind of piggyback off that right onto the Tour. But that experience I think changed my life and my career was finally getting through Qualifying School.

Q. So Mexico's asking that they heard that Liverpool sent you a jersey with your name on it.

TONY FINAU: Yeah.

Q. Are you a soccer fan and will you be watching the World Cup?

TONY FINAU: I can't say I'm a big soccer fan, or football fan they would say. I'd be lying if I said I was, but I was flattered that I got a jersey with my name on it from Liverpool, they were kind enough to send that. I guess that makes me a Liverpool fan now.

I guess I will watch some of their games maybe if I happen to pick out a TV, but I can't say I'm a huge soccer fan. I do think that soccer is an amazing sport and extremely difficult sport. It's one that I don't personally know that I'm very good at. I have a lot of respect for athletes all over the world. I think soccer players are some of the best athletes in the world.

HALEY PETERSON: With that, that's all the questions we have. Tony, thanks for taking the time and we wish you the best of luck this week.

TONY FINAU: Thank you.