THE PRESIDENTS CUP MEDIA CONFERENCE

March 22, 2000

Tim Finchem

Peter Thomson

Ken Venturi

COMMISSIONER TIM FINCHEM: Thank you, James. Welcome, everyone. Let me just start by recognizing some key individuals here. First of all, we have all of the Tours and the Federation with us this week, and some of them are represented this morning. The Asian PGA Tour is represented by Ramlan Harun here in the front row; Arthur Sanderson runs the PGA TOUR of Australasia; Louis Martin, the Southern Africa Tour. Mr. Shimada, Chief Executive of Japan Golf Tour and Mr. Schofield, Executive Director of the European tour are about somewhere. We will see them during the course of the week. George Burger is seated in the third row. George is the coordinator on behalf of -- a trustee now of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club and the individual who has been our main contact over the years at Robert Trent Jones, and we are delighted to have him with us. Lance Hartman, our tournament manager here in the second row. Mike Bodney, our Senior Vice-president of International Affairs for World Golf Championship events in the first row, all of you know. And we have, during the course of the week, obviously other people involved in The Presidents Cup here at the Championship. As James indicated, this is the fourth running of The Presidents Cup. We are delighted to have the captains with us this morning. We got off to a great start in 1994 with these matches. They exceeded by a substantial margin our expectations. But it was in 1998 in Melbourne that the matches, we think, hit their stride with the turnout, with the reaction of the crowds in Melbourne, and with the recognition that this is an event that would be so well received around the world. It took on a new meaning. This year our golf course is better than ever. The club has been very helpful in making improvements to what it was already, a very fine golf course, by rebuilding a number of greens and creating a situation that is not only going to be better for the players, but from a spectator's standpoint, excitement standpoint, an enhanced competitive venue. We have a substantial increase again in television distribution - over 150 countries will receive the telecast. We are very pleased with the addition of NBC as our television producer and carrier, primarily because NBC has developed over the years, through its commitment to the Ryder Cup, an understanding of how to cover this competition in a positive way. Tommy Roy, the producer for NBC Sports has already been active on the property of Robert Trent Jones. We will have an enhanced number of cameras, and it will be a first-rate quality production by NBC Production Team and Talent Team. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have on NBC the lead golf commentator for the last 30 years from CBS, Ken Venturi. This makes for a nice package as well. I would just comment that I think the reason for The Presidents Cup at the inception primarily was that the good number of international players who, if you look at the World Golf Rankings each year, have moved higher and higher in terms of their place in the World Rankings, did not have an opportunity to participate in this kind of competition. And what has developed over the last six years is a real camaraderie and coming together by those international players, so that as we saw in Melbourne, they are a cohesive team. They include some of the very best players in the world. There is no weakness in that team, and they were able to play well enough to beat the United States. And as James said, over the last four - three runnings, the point totals are equal. What the future is of this Cup only the fans and the players can determine. But we are off to a great start. We are extremely excited about what is going to happen in Washington this year. The staging of the event has been greatly improved. The involvement of the public sector in Washington, the President on down, is going to be very strong. It certainly will be a showpiece for golf this fall, and we are delighted to bring it forward. I will turn it over to you, James, for introduction of our captains, and I will be happy to answer any of your questions later.

PETER THOMSON: Thank you. As the Commissioner and Ken, I am thrilled, as I was last time I was here, to be standing here as the Captain of the International Team. Just recording those moments of joy for us in Melbourne, that was one of the highlights of my golf career. Even though I wasn't playing, I was -- I felt I was very much involved in all those chips and putts that went in the hole and all that. So here I am again. I did feel after that game that I should bow out on a high note. But it seemed to me like I was sort of deserting the team. And I said to them, if they wanted me to do it again, I would be pleased to do it. And it turned out that way. So here I am again. I have been involved at RTJ, and I look forward to that again, because that is a magnificent venue for a big event such as Presidents Cup. It doesn't suit either team. I think it is a very fair course. I have high hopes of our performance. You might recall that it was very close in 1996 there, came down to the last match on almost the last green, or the 17th green before it was decided. So we are looking forward to a keen contest and a close result. I welcome now the chance to do a bit of jousting with Ken here, because I know he was very formidable as player. And I am sure he is going to be very formidable as Captain as well. But that is part of the great experience of The Presidents Cup. I am thrilled that it has reached a level, I believe, now where it is very important. My -- I shouldn't say "my players." The players of the International Team all feel that way about it. They support it whole-heartedly. And I might say, we had a meeting this morning, and already there is a sense of excitement about it. And in a way, we had the possibles and the probables, there is a fair bit of competition between them to make this team, as you can imagine, with all these big events coming up. The team will comprise some new faces this year without any doubt. Apart from the Captain's choices, the 11th and 12th spots, the other, I suppose, the from 6 to 10 will be, I think, new faces, new people. And I hope without any disparagement to the previous team, that this will absolutely be a stronger one. Anyway, I am here at your disposal, and I hand it over back to James. (APPLAUSE)

KEN VENTURI: Thank you very much. When I was asked to be the Captain of The Presidents Cup, Mr. Finchem, I was in awe. Where he told me about two months before we announced it and to keep that secret, was very difficult. So it was an honor to get this position. I watched Peter Thomson, the way he conducted himself down in Melbourne, and admired -- I couldn't think of anybody that I would like to see on the other side as Captain. Admiring his career, his five British Open Championships, and the tradition and his loyalty to the game of golf, I have admired that all through my career. And he has set a great standard for our game, which I appreciated the way he has handled it. When I think about the International Team, I think about -- I have quite a few friends on the International Team. In fact, when I went down and did the tournament in Melbourne, I was quite proficient, as I say when I did it, because I went 36 holes with Greg Norman and Ernie Els and Steve Elkington. And Norman had played there many times; he said: This is where you want to hit it; this is where you don't want to go. He gave me all the information. To tell you how great these players are, when I had a charity at Marco Island for my wife, and when I asked these players to come there, I had 24 of the top players in the world come at no cost, I mean, no appearance fees. The first two or the first three to say, "I will be there," was Greg Norman, Nick Price, and Mike O'Meara, were the first three to say they'd be there. So I was -- to have the Normans, Ernie Els and all those, and they said, "How are we going to play against you?" I am talking with Ernie Els and Elkington and Norman. I said: "I win hands down." They said: "How can you say that? " I said: "I put the three of you up for citizenship." But I am looking so forward to it, that it is, to me, it is winding down a career. And a victory there would mean a lot to me. But to me, the best thing about it, which I think Peter shares it, that tradition, loyalty, and respect of the game is more important as we handle it that way. And the best team will win on that certain time, as we have had three before. And we have had equal 48 points a piece. So that comes down very equally. And the International Team is very, very strong. And to me, to be close to it for the three times that I have done the telecasting, but to be Captain of the team is something that I will always treasure and honor. And I think that the quality of the players on both sides will be phenomenal. And to handle it, my assistant Paul Marchand is here with me from Houston with Shadowhawk and good friends with Freddie Couples and Jim Nantz, my man on the tour and stuff, and another man that is traditionally is well respected and a true professional. So I am looking very forward to it. I am looking with anticipation. I am looking forward to going back to RTJ. And most of all, of all the players that will be playing, I am looking forward to competition with Mr. Thomson, because he has got the class of the game. And I think we are both going to enjoy what we are doing. And may the best team win. (APPLAUSE)

COMMISSIONER TIM FINCHEM: Well, tentative plan right now is we are looking very closely at South Africa in '02, but we keeping our options open. We are looking at golf courses there and some other places. The next time we are in the United States, we obviously like Robert Trent Jones. We will be back at Robert Trent Jones again. There is no question about that. But we also were intrigued with the idea of being able to play in the western part of the country at some point. And we are looking at some things there. As has been the case, we will probably announce details right around the first of the year about 02. And then this time maybe get a little bit further ahead and talk about 04 as well.

KEN VENTURI: In the Ryder Cup was when I played. We played against Great Britain, and it really, you know, with the players we had over here, it really wasn't much of a contest. When they brought in all of Europe it became much more of a contest. It became more important, really, when the United States lost. Everybody started getting an interest because everybody was bored with the winning over the years. But The Presidents Cup, to me, if you take the teams and International players, you are looking at probably the strongest team, the International Team, because of being worldwide, and it showed down in Melbourne. The thing about going back to Robert Trent Jones is that when we went down to Royal Melbourne, our players had never seen the golf course before. Where now the players internationally know Robert Trent Jones Golf Course. So there is no home court advantage, but -- of the teams, I think -- of the three teams, that the American and International Teams are very strong. And the edge, if you take the International Team, our guys are going to have to play very, very well, because the International Team is very strong. And they are tournament toughened worldwide.

KEN VENTURI: Well, there was, as Commissioner Finchem was saying, that they had, what? 45,000 people there. It was hard to control. We are going to have to limit it to 25,000. With Peter Thomson, myself being traditionalists we'd like to restore the -- I was very impressed with the galleries in Melbourne. They appreciated good shots. There was no yelling and screaming of things like this. The applause is bringing back the galleries that at Augusta are traditionalist because they go there year after year. I was raised like that. I mean, I knew Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet and I were friends. And I was taught by Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan took me under his wing. And for 25 years Gene Sarazen and I lived just a few blocks away. I have to look up to them, and every decision I make in golf - and I think Peter will go along with this too - these gentlemen would be proud of the decisions that I make. That is the way I base my life on what is good for the game, and I am second.

PETER THOMSON: Pretty difficult, isn't it? I would certainly like him to make the team, one way or another. So it is really up to him. But I think he will do it. He is keen to do it. He has got these big events coming up and he told me this morning he is ready and he is looking forward to it. I don't think there is any doubt he will be there.

PETER THOMSON: Oh, yeah, you are asking too much -- (laughs). I would like him to be there too. I spent some time in Canada last October and I know how keen they are in the Toronto area for a Canadian to be on the team and, long last, is one that is, I think, about to make it. I think he is playing so well that he will be in there in his own right. He won't need me to pick him, he will be there.

PETER THOMSON: I did explain to the fellows this morning in our little breakfast meeting that my job in choosing these people is to strengthen the team and I gave them the assurance that I would do that without any regard to which country they come from. Whether they are Australians, or New Zealanders or Japanese, or Afghanis or Nepalese, I will pick the two strongest players I can find.

KEN VENTURI: You are getting some good questions, Peter.

PETER THOMSON: I know. You already described the problem that I have. I will just say if I may, the team without Norman would be a lesser team. So I hope there is room for both of them.

PETER THOMSON: Well, it didn't apply to too many people, but in the '50s, when, as Ken described, the Ryder Cup was really a one-sided contest and those of us that had some use from Australia side or Canada, we did volunteer to join the team and make it a British team. But the answer came back that as bad as the team was, at least it was a British team, that we weren't (laughter) -- required, so that was the end of that. But I must say that we got a bit of a shock and a disappointment when a couple of Spaniards popped up and a German and a Fin ((laughter) --

KEN VENTURI: In 1965 Byron became Captain because I turned it down because I was operated on with my hands in 1965 and I wanted to play on a Ryder Cup. I have never played because -- see, the thing about the Ryder Cup, I missed three Ryder Cups when I was starting because you had to wait five years before you could get a point. So I played on one and I thought I would be Captain one day of the Ryder Cup but I wanted to play on it. But having Byron, there is no competition there because I looked up to him because he taught me, the same as Peter has and I have, we are not in competition with these -- with our team. We are someone that has no ax to grind and I think the motivation of people like that is far greater than someone who is playing against you for two years and for one week they become your best friend. There is no competition there. But having Byron, it was -- we only had nine players at that time. We played eight and -- but to have him there, it was just an honor to be near him and to be around him. Like I have always said, he has been like a second father to me, but I have known Byron since 1952.

KEN VENTURI: Captain of this -- he couldn't serve as Captain.

KEN VENTURI: We have talked, but he is the type that -- "It is your ballgame" and that is the time -- he'd never do that. No, we talk all the time and I respect him tremendously. That is about it.

COMMISSIONER TIM FINCHEM: I don't think anything has really changed in that regard from the standpoint of the two Cups. I think what has changed is that we have added the World Golf Championships which if you are going to play in all these things, you do have to -- there is more of a national travel involved and that has changed and made it more difficult for players. And we have seen that manifested in some cases with players playing or not playing in some of the World Golf Championships. I suspect we will continue to see that. I think I said that a number of times that not all the players are going to play in those events going forward. I think that in the long-term what the players need to focus on with respect to those events and The Presidents Cup is what do they really want them to be; that these are events that belong to the players, nobody else, the values -- that the value that is generated from these events come back to the players directly and they have to decide that. I think that is just an ongoing conversation going forward. But right now, in terms of this period, I think on both counts, I think we will have an excellent Presidents Cup this year and I think we will have a second running of the World Golf Championships that will be very, very successful.

PETER THOMSON: Well, we did have a query about whether we were living in a tent this year or we had a roof over our head because if you recall at Royal Melbourne, the clubhouse there is so inadequate, we had to add a big marquis to create a room for ourselves. Why this was an important issue, I don't know. But anyway, I said, well, if it is good enough for the King of Arabia to live in a tent, it is good enough for you. They are assured that they are going to have a roof over their head. Besides that, we discussed mundane things like travel arrangements and how many rooms in the hotel they needed for their kids, things like that, so that was really all we discussed.

KEN VENTURI: We were discussing that. I do 18 tournaments a year with CBS. I have been with CBS 32 years and I go up and down the range and look at them. I don't have any discussion with them. I just watch them and I watch them on -- I know which way they play, what they do, how compatible they are, and it is a great advantage to be out there at that time; where other captains before me were -- only got to see them at the time of the competition and not really much experience with them, but I know all of them. I know their games. I know everything about it. I would like to say about advantage, I think that this year's Presidents Cup, I think Peter and I have something that we are going to establish a tradition in the game, the try to bring back what golf is all about, is that the applause, and respecting each side and their shots and enjoy the game of golf. We have discussed that and I think that that is very important after you see some of the things on Tour that I see, some of the things we saw at Phoenix and things like this, that is not part of our game. And that is not -- I am sure I speak for Peter, too. That is not our game. Our game comes from the old school, where applause was what it was and the tip of the hat and the whole thing, that is the way it is and that is the way I was brought up and I am sure Peter the same way. But that is -- we have a big obligation here in this and I think we can and we will set a standard that will be followed both sides.

COMMISSIONER FINCHEM: I am not so sure I follow your question limiting --

COMMISSIONER TIM FINCHEM: Two count against their limit, the Andersen Consulting counts and the American Express count. NEC does not count because it has never counted.

COMMISSIONER FINCHEM: It doesn't change the total number of events -- total number of event players can play. The total is the same. Those two just count. So, frankly, I think just the opposite. I think that having the Andersen Consulting, having the NEC be official money, actually brings more international players to play in our tournaments and we are very comfortable with the level of play that we are receiving from international players. We welcome the International players. They strengthen our Tour. We are delighted with all the interest that we get when a player on any of these Tours gets to be a top player and wants to come play in the United States. That is one of the things that has made us strong for decades is to have the Bruce Cramptons and players from all over the world come and play. That has been the history of the Tour, but it is not a priority for us now because these players -- also, it is important that they play at home and keep those Tours strong and long-term these Tours have to be strong to grow the game in those parts of the world. So that is not a concern to us at this point.

COMMISSIONER FINCHEM: I think it is still out there. I think the Ryder Cup has certain contractual commitment for a good number of years and it has a long, long history and I don't think there is a lot of interest in changing the basic structure of the Ryder Cup that has been going on for 70 years. The Presidents Cup has some contractual commitment. If there was a way to do something, you know, we would be open to sit down and talk about it. I haven't heard any particular suggestions that seem workable at this juncture, but I think the main thing is that the -- to play in international team competition in match format is a unique showplace for these players with their skills and that all the top players in the world should have the opportunity to do that. Now that is the main thing. If there are different ways to get that accomplished, we are open looking at it going forward.

KEN VENTURI: I think it is very important. I think that I am sure I will convey to my team and Peter has -- watching him down in Melbourne, I am sure he has conveyed that to his team - we will set a standard that maybe that people that watch, that go to tournaments will conduct themselves better than they do and it is not from the -- it is not the old school. It is the young school that is having these things happen that we want to take -- bring back in Tradition again. When you saw one time at Phoenix where they -- Tiger made a hole-in-one, I guess, the 16th hole and they were throwing beer bottles out, the whole thing. That has never been done. Those things -- that is not a place for that. So I think that to our team is that, you know, you can have in your heart -- I mean, I can play against Peter and I want to beat him. I want to whip him; I want to do everything I can to -- when I am playing and when we get through, I want a handshake and would you like to have dinner. But when you are out there, that is what counts and tradition and sportsmanship is very important in our game and always has been.

COMMISSIONER FINCHEM: First of all, we haven't had any incidents at The Presidents Cup. We feel very comfortable -- the fans in Washington DC are terrific fans. I think the way we are going to go into organizing the tournament with the club is going to be to create an atmosphere that is very positive. Now having said that, we are doing all the things that we do increasingly all over the Tour because things are changing. We are getting new fans. We are getting more people. We are getting new fans that haven't been out there. So security is a concern and we want the best possible competitive atmosphere. We will take whatever steps necessary to do that. I think the concerns of the Ryder Cup perhaps were overblown. I think that we probably have more problems on two or three of our tournaments on the Tour than you had at the Ryder Cup, but when you have that many people out in this environment, the way society is today, you need to be careful, but I think the fan base that we have in Washington was basically going to be bringing that fan base back. As Ken said, the fan base at Augusta is probably the No. 1 fan group in the world in terms of their understanding of the game, you just don't ever have any problems. When you do have a problem it is so obvious it is easy to deal with because it is one individual. Where you have a group of problems it is more difficult to deal with. I don't anticipate us having those difficulties in Washington.

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