Padraig Harrington brands FedExCup playoffs: "Made-for-TV"

HARRISON, N.Y. (Aug. 21, 2007) - PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem will not address the media at Westchester Country Club for the first leg in his beloved FedExCup until early Wednesday afternoon. But the PGA Tour’s players - you know the guys Finchem is supposed to be serving - are not exactly making it easy for him.

Tweaking the FedExCup like David Letterman tweaks Paris Hilton has fast become the favorite past time of golf’s multi-millionaires. Boo Weekley could do a set at Caroline’s Comedy Club in the city with just his FedExCup material (stay tuned to WorldGolf.com this morning for more Boo).

But when Padraig Harrington starts ribbing Finchem’s Cup playoffs, you know the commish faces an uphill battle.

By all accounts, Harrington is one of the best guys on Tour. He’s such a good guy that other PGA players actually rooted for him in the British Open, a rarity on this Tour of grudges and perceived slights.

But there was Harrington calling the FedExCup “a made-for-TV spectacular.” At least, Finchem can be happy he added the word spectacular.

Harrington was actually trying to say something nice about the FedExCup. He even threw in a “You know the major were not majors when they were first run", talked about it being “a step in the right direction.”

But it seems like no one, not even Padraig Harrington, can stay completely sunny side on Finchem’s playoffs.

“I think it’s a bigger thing if you win it, then if you don’t win it,” Harrington said. “If you come out here in the four weeks and you don’t win it, it’s …. Obviously, if you don’t win it, it’s kind of you know, it’s a bit like the TPC. If you win the TPC, it’s the fifth major.

“If you don’t win it, it’s not the fifth major.”

That had the whole press room laughing. Finchem’s chances of getting the same reaction aren’t so great.