The PGA Tour donated $20,000 to the Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on September 27,
'99, according to FEC records cited by GOLF WORLD BUSINESS.
FEC documents "also indicate several PGA Tour players have
made political donations, all to Republican causes, within
the last year." Players such as Mark O'Meara, Greg Norman
and Ben Crenshaw have given $1,000 or less to TX Gov. George
W. Bush (GOLF WORLD BUSINESS, 3/14). GOLF WORLD's Sirak &
Rosaforte write that many players were upset at the PGA
Tour's donation to the DCCC because "they knew nothing about
the contribution." PGA Tour Policy Board Player Dir John
Cook: "I'd sure like to know more about it." Tour player
Mark Brooks: "The more that we can stay out of politics from
an organizational standpoint, the better off we are." Tour
Senior VP/Communications Bob Combs defended the donation and
said that the Tour "is active (in politics) on a variety of
issues and candidates. In point of fact if you look back
over time, (the Tour's donations are) probably more heavily
weighted on the Republican side. Over time, there's
significant parity." However, for the last four election
cycles -- '94, '96, '98 and 2000 -- the Tour donated $20,000
to the DCCC in '99 and $5,000 to the DCCC in '95, while PGA
Tour Golf Course Properties donated $300 to the National GOP
Congressional Committee. PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem
was a former aide to President Jimmy Carter. Steve Pate, on
the DCCC contribution: "I find it very ironic considering
the number of Republicans out here. I'm a Republican. Most
of the guys out here are" (GOLF WORLD, 3/17 issue).
