Tiger’s New Tournament – Woes Already
Someone turned on the gripe-for-a-day wheel and today’s topic is Tiger Woods’ new tournament, which being held in Washington D.C. over the 4th of July weekend. Tim Finchem said that he’s leaning towards making the new tournament an invitation-only tournament, which also means a limited-field event. The actual number of players to be invited hasn’t been determined yet, but already this idea is causing a fair amount of grief among touring pros.
Specifically, Brad Faxon and Rich Beem, both members of the 16-member Player Advisory Council, have said the tour doesn’t need yet another invitational event on the schedule because it limits non-elite players the ability to earn a paycheck that particular week. And though I don’t know the motive or facts behind this decision, it seems to go against the very model that Tiger is trying to promote by giving opportunities to those involved with the tournament (and I assumed this means players as well). For example, Tiger said that all active duty military personnel would be allowed free admission to the golf tournament. He also plans on allowing free admission to kids 14 and under. Which is great.
Why then, would he stick his nose up at his own brethren and limit their playing opportunities? I could be wrong here, but this smells more of Finchem and his band of merry men making this kind of decision. Does that mean Tiger doesn’t have any input? Hard to say, but I believe there’s more of a you-scratch-my-back-I’ll-scratch-your-back between Finchem and Woods that most people don’t know about.