"So it was the timing of it and the fact that Finchem just dropped everything and said, 'okay, whatever you want Tiger'. That's embarrassing when you think about it."

John Huggan talks to a player who suggests WGC Match Play contestants were more upset with Tim Finchem than with Tiger over the timing of this week's statement reading.

"Guys were a bit annoyed that Tiger chose to hold his press conference during the tournament," says one high-profile player. "It wasn't that anyone thought he was stealing our thunder. It was seen more as a power play on his part. He could easily have done it on Monday.

"The players were actually more annoyed with (PGA Tour commissioner Tim] Finchem letting Tiger do whatever he wants. It was like, 'hang on a minute, you're the one who screwed up, not us'. So he should have been told to do it on Monday somewhere other than Sawgrass and that the PGA Tour wasn't going to facilitate this rubbish.

"So it was the timing of it and the fact that Finchem just dropped everything and said, 'okay, whatever you want Tiger'. That's embarrassing when you think about it. But, at the end of the day, Tiger still has the power. Finchem needs Tiger more than Tiger needs the tour."