Commissioner Tim Finchem optimistic about PGA's future
The commissioner of PGA, Tim Finchem is really an interesting man. Looking on the bright side of things is what Good Old Tim has always done. This year is no different. Normally, people would expect him to be disappointed about top players like Tiger Woods
having the worst season of their career or Phil Mickelson not winning a lot in 2010. Tim, however, is happy about the interest and buzz from the young players and rookies creating a lot of hype in PGA this season.
Finchem said that in his whole career he has never seen rookies and young professionals play so well in the PGA. People have often complained that the PGA focuses a lot on elder players like Phil Mickelson and Woods. Mickelson, who is forty, only had one
win this season whereas the former number one had zero wins.
PGA has already launched a commercial regarding the tour next season. The commercial features Tiger Woods ‘Vs.’ Rickie Fowler. Fowler was the PGA Rookie of the Year and unlike Tiger, he had an amazing season. The ad film most probably portrays how the two
extremes of this year will face off next year and how viewers should be interested in their performance in 2011. It is a sure thing that people will tune in to watch Woods as he heads into 2011 without a single victory this year. Mickelson and Anthony Kim
are also featured in the commercial.
Where for the first time in his professional career, Woods didn’t win a title, Mickelson couldn’t score much either. The 40 year old golf legend, lefty, had many distractions this season and this could be the reason for his performance. Phil’s wife is diagnosed
with breast cancer and Mickelson himself was experiencing arthritic hip problems.
The champions were having trouble and the young stars were growing in popularity. Fowler made the Ryder Cup this year, being only 21 years old. Another 21 year old, Rory McIlroy had a star performance on the PGA this season. Anthony claimed his third tour
title and was doing really well at the Masters before he started having problems with the thumb.
Also a ‘not-so-old’ player, Dustin Johnson had a decent year as well. He nearly won two majors some time back. Another American player, Jeff Overton played well enough to secure a place on the Ryder Cup team.
Bill Haas won the Bob Hope Classic and claimed the first title of his career. The 27 year old then won again at the Viking Classic and was parallel amongst the other seven players who won twice this year. It is tournaments like the Hope Classic which really
need the participation of ‘fresh’ players. Larry Theil, who is tournament chairman of the Hope, said that it is a good thing to have winners play in the event. This makes the field and the tournament itself all the more exciting.
Rory McIlroy, who played on the European Tour for three years, had a good Rickie season at the PGA. He won the Quail Hollow Championship, had second place finishes in two major championships and three other top ten finishes this year.
Overall, Finchem thinks that the television will try to get stories out of the players and hence it is crucial to have interesting players. With the champions continuing to play and so many talented fresh faces in Tour for next season, it is bound to be
even more exciting.
“Actually, it has led us to conclude that we really need to focus on that dynamic as we go into 2011,” Tim Finchem said. “And it will be our primary promotional focus to get people to pay attention to how well the veterans continue to play, and the young
stars, the competition between the newer generation and the more experienced and older players, we think makes for good theater this year. And we are excited about that development.”
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