Finchem Loves Rory's Image And Juxtaposition Capabilities

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Bernie McGuire quotes Commissioner Crawley at length talking about Rory McIlroy and you can just see the dollar signs in his eyes as the PGA Tour's big bonus giver speaks.

Because after all, he and his VP's need cash to pay the rules staff.

"Last year, the PGA Tour had an incredibly strong year," said Finchem. "It was as if everything just came together and the fact that Rory advanced a couple of levels in his career and continued demonstrating he's got the capability to this juxtaposition that he can mix it with the better players like Tiger was the key factor in helping the PGA Tour have the great season we had.When a guy takes on the mantle, or identity level, Rory's taken on, it has a ripple effect heading into the future."

Forgive me, but I think that's a fancy way of saying: he's now a legitimate world No. 1 and we are going milk him for every penny we can.

"As an individual, Rory stirs the imagination of people and the amazing thing is that he's like Tiger in a sense in that we saw in the [FedEx Cup] Play-offs, he clearly did not play well as he had on the Saturday, but he can absorb a bad round and bounce back and win. Not many players can do that.

Uh, pssst...Lord Tim, Rory didn't win the FedExCup. He should have but well, you reset the points twice on him!

"From an image standpoint, I like the way Rory handles himself off the golf course," said Finchem. "I notice also when he is asked questions by the media that he is clearly focused on who's listening.

I'm going to give Tim the benefit there and assume he said "focused on who's talking." I hope that's what he said.

"He's complimentary; he's polite and when he speaks there is always a message in there that has real impact. He's smart. Very smart.

Rory's messaging is impactful! He activates and energizes his core audience!

HSBC Suit Slams Tiger And Rory For No-Show, Claims To Speak On Behalf Of "The Industry"

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James Corrigan with a nice unleashing of misery by Giles Morgan, "group head of sponsorship" at HSBC, who sponsors the soulless $7 million WGC event this week in China.

“On one hand we are delighted to have 13 of the world’s top 20 here, but of course we’re disappointed not to have the two top players in the world,” said Morgan. “Both have sent me apologies but this is an event which should be regarded by all players as it is by the tours and the media as one of the top events in the world.

Well that was thoughtful of them!

This next part was interesting. Especially if you set it to some particularly depressing Schubert's Ave Maria.

“Therefore I feel strongly that the top players should be here. I believe that golfers have a responsibility to their sponsors. Without the sponsors there isn’t professional golf. I speak on behalf of the industry.”

Speaking of thoughtful...

Morgan has been contacted by other sponsors who share his concerns that they will not be able to justify the huge outlays without the top names. “I feel very strongly, as I know a number of sponsors do particularly, in a downturn, particularly when there are financial difficulties around the world, that golf cannot be immune either,” he said.

I hate to break it to the sponsors, but with Commissioner Growth Is My Mantra's "calendar year" schedule, no downtime, and plenty of folks willing to pay appearance fees, the stars will not play more less and will gear their schedule around who pays. I think they call this market forces, no?

"I think with the testing, it's only enhanced that respectability throughout all of sport."

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There wasn't much in the way of coherent questioning from Tiger's Malaysia press conference to launch whatever event it is they're playing this week the CIMB Classic.

Anyway, there was this:

Q.  It's been a difficult week for sports in some respects with the Lance Armstrong scandal.  Just wondered to what extent you thought golf has any similar problems?

TIGER WOODS:  Could you repeat the last part of it?

Q.  I just wondered if you thought to what extent golf has similar problems, and are the authorities doing enough to catch people who are taking the wrong things?

TIGER WOODS:  Yeah, we just implemented testing probably three years ago I think it is, three years now.  I know we don't do any blood work like some of the other sports do.  Right now is just urine samples, but that's certainly a positive step in the right direction to try and validate our sport.  I mean, this is a sport where we turn ourselves in on mistakes.  A ball moves in the tree, and the guy calls a penalty on himself.  Golf is a different sport.  I think that's one of the neat things about our great game, and I think with the testing, it's only enhanced that respectability throughout all of sport.

It's always worth remembering that if not for Tiger raising the issue, as Steve Elling noted here, the folks in Ponte Vedra might be resisting drug testing. 

For a fun flashback, here's one of Commissioner We Don't Need No Stinkin' Testing's many tortured answers on the topic before he saw the light.

The Re-Match Of The Match That Was Tweeted

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Alan Shipnuck's tweets of the First Tee Special Boosters exhibition match, where Fred Couples was replaced at the last minute by Nick Watney, can be read here.

While Shipnuck was clearly holding back to prevent one of Tim Finchem's henchmen from marching him to a watery Pacific Ocean grave, there are some photos showing how sweet Cypress Point is looking.

Gala Dinner: Alan Shipnuck's Red Carpet Report

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Alan Shipnuck braved the Ryder Cup gala dinner and was pleasantly surprised by Justin Timberlake's hosting effort and the overall decency of the evening.

The best look was definitely Dustin Johnson’s faux-hawk, if you don’t count the perpetual bedhead of Jason Dufner and Brandt Snedeker. The wives were free to pick their own gowns and they looked stunning. Bonus points to Kim (Mrs. Zach) Johnson for rocking blue satin while very pregnant. I would strongly encourage male readers to Google pictures of Amanda (Mrs. Jason) Dufner, Diane (Mrs. Luke) Donald, and Amanda Caulder, Dustin Johnson’s special friend. Jason Dufner looks increasingly like Alfred E. Newman; I tweeted from the red carpet about him being "overmarried" and before the night was out he replied, "Why would u ever under marry...DUH!!!"

This was also a fun image...

The players were then sequestered backstage and I returned to my seat to catch the musical stylings of Chicago, the classic rock group comprised of guys who are as leathery as Amy Mickelson’s dress. The set went on for an excruciatingly long time, but everyone else seemed to love it. I even peeped PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem boogeying in his seat, lip-synching a few lyrics. Which explains a lot, I think.

Golf.com has a 31 page gallery from the red carpet, including a shot of what Shipnuck called the hardest working button in golf: the one on Darren Clarke's dinner jacket.

Finchem On ResetCup: "Fans...want to be challenged to keep up with the permutations."

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John Maginnes pitches the softballs, as he should when the Commish is signing his paycheck.

However, listening to this 18-minute interview with Tim Finchem on Sirius/XM, I was doing my best Mike Francesa-nodding-off-impersonation-while-listening, then had similar wild eye/wake-up moment (which Francesa swears was not what you think it was), all as Finchem started in on the fan's love of the ResetCup:

There's  a lot of different stories, things turn quickly. You know, in the early days of the cup, you know there was concern about it being too complicated and this and that. But actually, people like that. Fans want to see different things going on, they want to be challenged to keep up with the permutations. And, in today's world, 65% of our fans are sitting around watching on television, the ones that are watching on television are also following it online, so they've got another matrix of data coming at them.

You know those wild and crazy fans, they love their matrixes of data! Reminds them of work.

And uh the fans…the players are totally into it now, the fans have been into it since day one.

Day one! They have, and they've shown their love by tuning in with massive, record ratings for golf...well, the ratings are always the last thing to kick in, the scientists report.

Each year with a little history, as it gains a little stature, both the players and the fans are more into it. But yes, to answer your question, it's gotten to this point quicker than I assumed.

The Commish then declared that forthcoming calendar year schedule--you know, the one where they play PGA Tour golf about 50 weeks a year and everyone involved with the PGA Tour is a burnout by 2015--will be even better.

Next year is even better, because next year we stop the season and start a few weeks later. So everything is coming to an end. The ballots next year, the ballots will go out for player of the year right after the FedExCup is handed out, the next morning players will be asked to say who is the player of the year on the heels of the FedExCup being awarded. The money title, which is represented by the Arnold Palmer award, will be identified at the end of the FedExCup. Everything's coming to a head. For the first time we'll have a real season when, a few weeks later, everything will start, it builds up for almost a full year, then you have another conclusion. So even thigh this is going to be really going, it going to be even better next year.

It's interesting that everyone involved thinks year-round competition makes for a "real" season. What are all these other silly professional sports doing with their off-seasons and their vacations?  The morons!

The interview:

"Waugh could ultimately replace Tim Finchem as PGA Tour commissioner."

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Golf World's Tim Rosaforte breaks the hearts of all the Commissioner wannabes in Ponte Vedra by revealing the worst kept secret in golf: Seth Waugh might be available to be the next Commish and would be welcomed with open arms by a lot of people.

Waugh could ultimately replace Tim Finchem as PGA Tour commissioner. Their friendship was apparent the previous night at a pro-am draw party, where a four-year extension of Deutsche Bank's sponsorship was announced, along with the company's seven-figure investment as a First Tee Trustee.

Well let's not stretch it there Rosie, these two did have a nice flare up two years ago when Commissioner Empathy-free kicked in that purse increase clause on a bank that really wasn't in a position to be putting up even more money.

The Waugh-Finchem dynamic is unique in that Waugh has a way of playfully teasing Finchem in public and getting a smile out of the commissioner, as he did twice during the pro-am draw party. As for potentially replacing Finchem, there is no timetable. Waugh will not discuss it at length, both out of respect for Finchem and his decision to focus the next few years on Clancy. In actuality, the timing could be perfect. Finchem's latest contract expires in 2016, which means should Waugh be considered for, and want the job, at age 58 he'd be ready for the challenge.

"The commissioner thing is an uncomfortable thing to bring up," Waugh said. "Tim likes his job, right?

Yes, but at 65 he is staying on past the same retirement age that he's invoked on many loyal servants now spending more time with their families. Anyway, go on Seth...

Lots of folks have asked me about it, a lot of people behind the scenes are talking about it. Let's see how it all plays out."

I'd say that's a big yes!

Finchem Statement On Augusta: "This sends a positive and inclusive message for our sport."

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Tim Finchem issued a statement and PGATour.com posted it with the AP story along with an Awkward Family Photos-worthy shot of Commissioner Uncomfortable and Condi.

"The PGA TOUR commends Augusta National Golf Club on the news that it has invited Condolezza Rice and Darla Moore to become its first women members. At a time when women represent one of the fastest growing segments in both playing and following the game of golf, this sends a positive and inclusive message for our sport."