"Exactly why the board decided to let Finchem make the call remains, for the moment, unclear."

Steve Elling on the PGA Tour's Policy Board Tim Finchem's groove call:

It will be interesting hearing the four players who have seats on the board explain what happened at the meeting, but at minimum, it removed them from a potentially uncomfortable situation – the players have endorsement deals with manufacturers, which might have created a conflict of interest.

Comments

[Marc]

This is what a commissioner is for! This is much better than publishing a split vote that opens the four players up to questions, ridicule, etc.

I think you missed the key quote:

“We are too late in the process,” Finchem said, noting that some manufactures have proceeded in good faith and already ramped up testing of irons with the new groove configuration. “They have taken steps to prepare for this schedule.”

This goes right to the heart of the matter. Other companies have taken the steps and done the work to meet this plan. Titleist has more resources than many of these companies but they are whining about it being impossible while others have already proven it isn't.

[Chuck]

I suppose on might say, "It is only a conflict of interest if the player-board member is actually conflicted."

Brad Faxon isn't conflicted. He's Acushnet's Liaison to the Tour Policy Board. No conflict there. "Mouthpeice" is more like it.