Finchem: Cell Phone Policy Here To Stay

Michael Buteau tracked down Commissioner Finchem after he played in a Champions Tour pro-am.

Finchem still said the tour has no plans to abandon its policy of allowing fans to bring phones into tournaments. Guidelines limit the use of phones to designated areas and prohibit photos or videos being taken during play. At the Memorial, fans weren’t following the rules and marshals weren’t actively policing the crowd, the commissioner said today.

“We’re committed to making it work,” Finchem said in an interview while playing in a pro-am round at the Champions Tour’s Tradition event in Birmingham, Alabama. “If we get to a point where we don’t have an acceptable competitive environment, we’ll do whatever we need to do, but I don’t see that happening.”

Golf's Second Wealthiest Non-Profit To Host Preview Of Golf's Largest Pro Shop For Golf's Toughest Test

For Immediate Release...

***MEDIA ADVISORY***

USGA TO HOST MEDIA PREVIEW OF “GOLF’S LARGEST PRO SHOP”

U.S. Open Merchandise Pavilion Opens Thursday, June 7

Far Hills, N.J. (June 4, 2012) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) will host a media preview of the U.S. Open Merchandise Pavilion at The Olympic Club, site of the 2012 U.S. Open Championship, on Thursday, June 7, from 7 a.m.–10 a.m. PDT.

Nothing like a 7 a.m. start to get those writers out of bed early...if there is free golf or free food.

The event will feature broadcast and photo opportunities from the launch of the pre-championship opening of “golf’s largest pro shop.” USGA representatives will be available for interviews.

Maybe we could do a seminar on keeping your amateur status while accepting free merchandise?

The Merchandise Pavilion offers an unparalled shopping experience at a state-of-the-art 36,000-square-foot structure located just inside the main admission gate at The Olympic Club.

The pavilion features more than 400,000 items bearing the official U.S. Open logo, including outerwear, shirts, hats, golf balls and a variety of championship memorabilia.

Major apparel manufacturers represented include Ralph Lauren, adidas, Nike, Cutter & Buck, and many more. The pavilion offers the broadest array of Polo Golf/RLX men’s and women’s apparel anywhere.

Anywhere? More than the Morongo Springs RLX Outlet shop, even?

The pavilion will be open to the general public for pre-championship shopping from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from June 7-10. Tickets or credentials will not be required.

Visa/Mastercard accepted, but American Express is preferred.

112th U.S. Open Field Set

Here's the list following Tuesday's delayed Memphis qualifier where Tommy Biershenk earned his first trip to the U.S. Open to be joined by Stephen Ames, Joe Ogilvie, Joe Durant, Bill Lunde and Hunter Haas.

Pairings to come later this week.

New York Is Tough: Steiny's License Suspended Awhile

Michael Buteau reports that Tiger's agent, Mark Steinberg, has had his license suspended pending a court appearance...in January, 2013?

Readers, is that typical with DWI cases in the state of New York?

Casey Martin Successfully Sued The PGA Tour, But You Wouldn't Know That If You Read PGATour.com

I suppose it is wise for PGATour.com to edit out references to the darkest days of Commissioner Tim Finchem's tenure. After all, Commissioner Aladeen, who appealed all the way to the Supreme Court but who won't endorse penalty shots for slow play, might realize he once made a truly awful, career-defining executive decision. 

But gosh it's fun to read the red-lined version of the AP story.

Here are two separate paragraphs from the PGATour.com version:

Martin, who won the right to ride a cart because of a rare circulatory disorder in his right leg, earned a spot in the U.S. Open on Monday night when he holed a 5-foot par putt in darkness on the final hole at Emerald Valley Golf Club.


Martin earned his way onto the PGA TOUR in 1999. He failed to keep his TOUR card after one year, and eventually became the golf coach at Oregon.

And how the story appeared on the wires, with underline added to highlight the dreaded truth cut from the PGATour.com copy:

Martin, who successfully sued for the right to ride a cart because of a rare circulatory disorder in his right leg, earned a spot in the U.S. Open on Monday night when he holed a 5-foot par putt in darkness on the final hole at Emerald Valley Golf Club.


Martin earned his way onto the PGA Tour in 1999 and eventually won his lawsuit to ride a cart. He failed to keep his PGA Tour card after one year, and eventually became the golf coach at Oregon.