Tim Finchem
Tim Finchem | |
|---|---|
 Finchem (left) with Phil Mickelson at The Players Championship awards ceremony | |
| Born | April 19, 1947 Ottawa, Illinois, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Richmond (B.A.) University of Virginia (J.D.) |
| Occupation | PGA Tour commissioner |
Timothy W. Finchem (born April 19, 1947) is the current Commissioner of golf's PGA Tour.
Biography
Finchem was born in Ottawa, Illinois. He took the position on June 1, 1994, succeeding Deane Beman, who retired after nearly 20 years in the post. Finchem had previously served as Vice President of Business Affairs, Deputy Commissioner, and Chief Operating Officer of the Tour.
Finchem graduated from Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He attended the University of Richmond on a debate scholarship, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969. While at Richmond, Finchem was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta rho chi chapter. Finchem later graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1973. After practicing law in Virginia Beach for three years, Finchem served in the White House during the administration of Jimmy Carter as Deputy Advisor to the President in the Office of Economic Affairs in 1978 and 1979. In the early 1980s, Finchem co-founded the National Marketing and Strategies Group in Washington, D.C.. [1]
As Commissioner, Finchem has greatly expanded the earnings opportunities for PGA Tour players both domestically and internationally. He has presided over the last three television broadcasting deals (1997, 2001 and 2005) and has maximized the earnings potential of the tour, and perhaps none was as bold as the most recent deal that excludes ABC and ESPN and challenges The Golf Channel to get better.
In 2006, the total PGA Tour purse was $256.8 million, up from $56.4 million in 1994. That remarkable growth has a lot to do with Tiger Woods, but Finchem's supporters also give him some of the credit. [2]
Finchem received the 2001 Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, GCSAA's highest honor. He is a single-figure handicap golfer.