PGA Finchem's talk doesn't feed Augusta's female-issue fire

ATLANTA (AP) -- The leader of a women's group campaigning for a female member at Augusta National wanted PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem to take a strong stand by refusing to recognize the Masters as an official event.
What Martha Burk got Wednesday was no different than the letter Finchem sent her more than two months ago, saying the all-male membership at Augusta had nothing to do with the PGA Tour.
"He's stonewalling," Burk said after Finchem's "State of the Tour" message that included new names for two tours but nothing new about his position on the Masters.
No contract
Finchem refused to be drawn into the controversy of Augusta's membership, referring questions to his Aug. 20 letter in which he said the tour does not have a contract with the Masters or any of the four major championships.
"As far as I know, there's going to be a tournament at Augusta -- the Masters -- and it's going to be on CBS television, and our players are going to go play," Finchem said. "What else happens, I'm not going to speculate on that."
That drew a sharp reply from Burk.
"If I were his board, I would be asking who he works for: Augusta or the PGA Tour?" she said. "Clearly, the position he has taken is going to be an apologist for Augusta."
Burk has accused the PGA Tour of creating a double standard by counting the Masters among its official events, even though the tour has a policy not to hold tournaments on courses that discriminate.
In an Aug. 20 letter to Burk, Finchem said the tour cannot require Augusta National to follow tour rules and had no plans to stop recognizing the Masters as one of golf's four major championships.