For the majority of his young career on the PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy didn’t play the Arnold Palmer Invitational. It had just never fit into his schedule. But prior to last year’s event, Palmer basically called McIlroy out and told him to figure out how to make it work. And respectfully, that’s exactly what the former world no. 1 golfer did. He did quite well, as a matter of fact, finishing T11th in his first start at Bay Hill.
In fact, now, McIlroy wishes he would have added this event to his schedule years ago.
On Tuesday a group of more than 80 caddies filed a class-action federal lawsuit against the PGA Tour, seeking compensation for being forced to wear bibs that are plastered with sponsored logos and serving as “human billboards.” Later that day, Commissioner Tim FInchem addressed the media and spoke about the issue. Then, during the Tour’s annual Player Meeting at Torrey Pines, the site of this week’s Farmers Insurance Open, he addressed the topic briefly.
Well, apparently, some of the comments made by Finchem and other Tour officials have been misleading and/or untrue. The lead attorney for the caddies, Gene Egdorf responded in a letter on Thursday that was distributed to PGA Tour pros, which stressed “the lawsuit filed by the caddies is NOT about or against the players nor does it involve your money.”
At this week’s Champions Tour event in Missouri, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem introduced the captains for the 2015 Presidents Cup, which will take place in New Songdo City, South Korea. Jay Haas was named captain of Team USA and Nick Price was named captain of the International Team. Former captains Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player joined the press conference as did International vice-captain K.J. Choi.
Tour Commissioner TIm Finchem, Gary Player, Nancy Lopez, Arnold Palmer and WGHOF COO Jack Peter
The World Golf Hall of Fame (WGHOF) introduced a new procedure for individuals to be inducted beginning with the Class of 2015, which was unveiled in a press conference today by PGA Tour Commissioner and chairman of the World Golf Foundation Board of Directors, Tim Finchem, along with Gary Player, Nancy Lopez, Arnold Palmer, Annika Sorrenstam (via the phone) and WGHOF COO Jack Peter.
The changes were made after a review of the ballot and nomination process, which included an evaluation of the ballot system and voting body, along with criteria such as tournament victories and age.
Oh, YES! …or NO…?!
In a joint press conference on Wednesday, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and PGA of America President Ted Bishop announced that next year The Players Championship and the PGA Championship will share the luxury of having the richest purses in golf, with each tournament offering $10 million in prize money.
Where Oscillate-Gate started…
Tiger Woods’ rules infraction last Friday at the BMW Championship remained the most-talked-about-two-shot penalty (since earlier this year at The Masters) on the eve of the Tour Championship. Woods remains adamant that his ball oscillated and didn’t move despite the obvious video evidence, and while this rules violation was caught by a “freelance videographer” for PGA Tour Entertainment, this incident has heightened the discussion about armchair rules officials calling in penalties.
Prior to his chat with the media, Woods met with PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem for about an hour, and though Tiger didn’t divulge many details about their conversation, it’s safe to assume that the main topic was the Tour’s policy on viewers calling in potential rules infractions.
Presidents Cup captains pose with President Obama
Fred Couples didn’t even get to play a practice round at the Memorial Tournament. Instead, he got a call from PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem that they were going to the White House to meet President Barack Obama, who will again serve as the honorary chairman for the 2013 Presidents Cup matches.
Couples, the U.S. captain for the third time, along with Nick Price, the International team captain, spent 20 minutes with President Obama in the Oval Office chatting and taking pictures.
The Masters champ has retained a lawyer but doesn’t plan to sue
The PGA Tour Player Advisory Council (PAC) gathered for an official meeting on Tuesday at Muirfield Village Golf Club to discuss the USGA and R&A’s announcement of their final decision to ban anchored putting under Rule 14-1b. Players, Commissioner Tim Finchem and other officials participated in the 90-minute meeting in person and by phone.
Finchem discussed the series of events that had happened regarding the anchoring issue since their last meeting and then players and officials also weighed in with their opinions on the imminent decree set forth by golf’s governing bodies that will be put in effect on January 1, 2016.
“Yesterday’s (meeting) was just hearing guys on the PAC’s opinion,” said Aaron Baddeley, a member of the PAC, on Wednesday. “(The PAC meeting) was more just to see what Commissioner Finchem was thinking, and what Slugger White and a couple of the other rules guys were thinking.”
Singh: Oh deer!
PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem announced in a press conference at Quail Hollow Golf Club on Tuesday that Vijay Singh would not be suspended for using deer antler spray and the case against Singh has now been dropped.
In a Sports Illustrated article earlier this year, Singh revealed he had taken the substance, which contains IGF-1,a banned substance on the PGA Tour and other major sports leagues as set forth by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Subsequently, he released a statement that expressed his shock and anger, along with his ignorance it was prohibited.
Singh admitted he had used deer antler spray unknowingly, but there wasn’t a positive drug test, so he is in the clear. Basically, while IGF-1 is illegal, it is not a violation unless you test positive — even though there is no way of detecting the substance through blood testing.
Here’s the full statement from the PGA Tour:
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