Only one Ryder Cup

Interview PGA tour commissioner Tim FinchemTim Finchem is the third Commissioner of the PGA Tour in America and the brainchild behind the other truly global team event in professional golf, the Presidents Cup. This week, however, the 59-year-old has downed tools from PGA Headquarters in Sawgrass to touch base with his Irish roots as he witnesses the Ryder Cup unfold here at The K Club.

The Presidents Cup is similar in many respects to the Ryder Cup in that two teams of 12 are selected to play each other through a combination of foursomes, fourball and final day singles matches. The key difference is that, instead of America playing against Europe every two years, they take on an International team from the rest of the world.

Since its inception in 1994, the Presidents Cup continues to grow in stature with each passing event, but Finchem is quick to play down any comparisons it has with the Ryder Cup.

"We only started the Presidents Cup 12 years ago, so from that standpoint we don't and can't compare ourselves to the Ryder Cup," explains Finchem, when taking time away from watching Ryder Cup team practice outside The K Club Hotel. "We don't think it's necessary to make comparisons.

"Look, the Ryder Cup is what it is, it's been around since the early part of last century (1927) and has developed a long and wonderful history.

"You can't duplicate what the Ryder Cup has become. It takes years for an event to gain importance and stature . . . the Ryder Cup created a unique format in professional team golf, one that also makes for great television. And when I speak of stature, you need time to build a great event in the game of golf."

Finchem's vision for the Presidents Cup took seed in the early 1990s at around the time when many international golfers were fast becoming world class players and migrating to the US Tour.

"More and more players from outside

the United States and Europe were advancing up the world rankings," continues Finchem, who himself has Irish connections through the Kelly and Rooney names in Co Cork.

"And, of course, when you think of today, you have Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Nick Price, Retief Goosen and Stuart Appleby, who are some of the best players in the world. At the time, they were becoming members of our tour and gravitating towards America.

"We just felt it was it was important to give those international players an opportunity to perform on this kind of stage (like the Ryder Cup), plus we also wanted to create a competition that would give the United States a chance to use their skills competitively in a team environment against international players.

"The third, and equally important, key mission was to create a tournament which would help increase interest and grow the game of golf around the world. We had the opportunity to play the Presidents Cup at Fancourt in South Africa in 2003 and it became the biggest sporting event in their history.

"Nelson Mandela later said bringing the Presidents Cup there helped South Africa land the soccer World Cup."

It has often been said there is friendly competition and camaraderie at the Presidents Cup, whereas a greater cutting edge and rivalry exists in Ryder Cup encounters, but that's not necessarily something the PGA Tour boss for the last 12 years and former White House adviser subscribes to.

"I don't think there's animosity among the players in either event, they are all world class professionals who really want to win . . . but at the end of the day it's about good sportsmanship and these players like each other," notes Finchem.