Longtime PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem has joined Tiger Woods and Marion Hollins in the 2021 World Golf Hall of Fame class, announced by the WGHOF Monday.
Finchem joins the Hall in the “contributor” category, and is quite deserving. During 22 years overseeing the Tour, Finchem’s career aligned almost identically with the Tour career’s of Woods and Phil Mickelson.
It has been widely noted how prize money in professional golf increased exponentially during Woods’ ascension, but Finchem also helped the Tour extend its fingers into all pools of pro golf. What was once three tours under one umbrella became six.
“Tim Finchem’s vision and leadership have made an indelible impact on the game of golf over the past 25 years,” commissioner Jay Monahan said.
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Finchem also helped create the First Tee, a junior golf initiative that works to introduce the game to prospective young players.
In the late 90s, Finchem was also able to push forward the World Golf Championship series, which stand to this day as some of the highest-paying purses in golf. Though the events have changed locations over the years, they are co-managed by the European Tour and PGA Tour, incentivizing a more international game. He was also a key figurehead behind golf’s inclusion in the 2016 Olympics.
It is unclear to this point when the induction ceremony will take place.
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