Finchem's memo slammed as bias
Source: Agencies |
March 25, 2010, Thursday
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US PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem sent a memo to tournament directors to explain why Steve Elkington needed invitations to get into events this year. At least two players criticized Finchem for favoritism.
Elkington had been exempt for 23 consecutive years until the former US PGA champion finished 183rd on the money list last year and lost his card. Four other times he finished out of the top 125. He had a 10-year exemption for winning The Players Championship in 1997.
"I think it's out of line," said David Duval, a former major champion who also has only conditional status this year. "It never crossed my mind to ask Tim to do that for me."
Tim Herron, who has been writing tournaments for exemptions this year, said it smacked of favoritism.
"That's terrible of the tour," Herron said from Bay Hill, where he was playing as a past champion. "The tour needs to be unbiased and treat everyone the same. That's like a slap in the face. Nothing against Steve Elkington. But the tour is supposed to represent the players as a whole, and not just one player."
Elkington has played five times this year, although he has yet to receive a sponsor's exemption.
He got into four tournaments through his status as a past champion, and played last week at Innisbrook because of a top-10 finish in Puerto Rico.
"We've done it with other players," Rick George, chief of operations for the US PGA Tour, said. He declined to identify those players. "If there's a unique change in eligibility or status ... we've done it a number of times."
In the memo, Finchem extols Elkington's career as a 10-time winner on the US PGA Tour, and points out that "he has also been a tournament favorite for his work with the sponsors."
Elkington fell out of the top 50 in career money in 2006 and climbed back in over four years of being fully exempt.
"Because Steve will be in the conditionally exempt Past Champions category in 2010 after so many years as an exempt member, we felt it was prudent to inform you of his situation as he will be writing many of you requesting a sponsor exemption," Finchem said in the memo.
"Please do not construe this communication as an endorsement for him to receive a sponsor exemption. Rather, it is merely intended to present you the facts of his 2010 eligibility status."
Duval also questioned why the memo referred to all of Elkington's achievements.
"Isn't that kind of already known?" Duval said. "I assume they know I won the Open Championship and The Players Championship. I wrote all my letters by hand. I told them how much I've enjoyed their event, how much I've supported their event and that I hope there's room for me. I didn't get any offers to have a letter written on my behalf."
George said Duval already used one-time exemptions for being top 25 and top 50 on the money list. He said Finchem was not playing favorites.
"If there's a unique change to a player's status that we feel tournaments need to be aware of, we do that," he said.
Elkington had been exempt for 23 consecutive years until the former US PGA champion finished 183rd on the money list last year and lost his card. Four other times he finished out of the top 125. He had a 10-year exemption for winning The Players Championship in 1997.
"I think it's out of line," said David Duval, a former major champion who also has only conditional status this year. "It never crossed my mind to ask Tim to do that for me."
Tim Herron, who has been writing tournaments for exemptions this year, said it smacked of favoritism.
"That's terrible of the tour," Herron said from Bay Hill, where he was playing as a past champion. "The tour needs to be unbiased and treat everyone the same. That's like a slap in the face. Nothing against Steve Elkington. But the tour is supposed to represent the players as a whole, and not just one player."
Elkington has played five times this year, although he has yet to receive a sponsor's exemption.
He got into four tournaments through his status as a past champion, and played last week at Innisbrook because of a top-10 finish in Puerto Rico.
"We've done it with other players," Rick George, chief of operations for the US PGA Tour, said. He declined to identify those players. "If there's a unique change in eligibility or status ... we've done it a number of times."
In the memo, Finchem extols Elkington's career as a 10-time winner on the US PGA Tour, and points out that "he has also been a tournament favorite for his work with the sponsors."
Elkington fell out of the top 50 in career money in 2006 and climbed back in over four years of being fully exempt.
"Because Steve will be in the conditionally exempt Past Champions category in 2010 after so many years as an exempt member, we felt it was prudent to inform you of his situation as he will be writing many of you requesting a sponsor exemption," Finchem said in the memo.
"Please do not construe this communication as an endorsement for him to receive a sponsor exemption. Rather, it is merely intended to present you the facts of his 2010 eligibility status."
Duval also questioned why the memo referred to all of Elkington's achievements.
"Isn't that kind of already known?" Duval said. "I assume they know I won the Open Championship and The Players Championship. I wrote all my letters by hand. I told them how much I've enjoyed their event, how much I've supported their event and that I hope there's room for me. I didn't get any offers to have a letter written on my behalf."
George said Duval already used one-time exemptions for being top 25 and top 50 on the money list. He said Finchem was not playing favorites.
"If there's a unique change to a player's status that we feel tournaments need to be aware of, we do that," he said.
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