When PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem saw a noose on the cover of the latest issue of Golfweek magazine, he was not happy, reports Jerry Potter of USA Today. Finchem said, "Clearly, what Kelly (Tilghman) said was inappropriate and unfortunate, and she obviously regrets her choice of words. But we consider Golfweek's imagery of a swinging noose on its cover to be outrageous and irresponsible. It smacks of tabloid journalism. It was a naked attempt to inflame and keep alive an incident that was heading to an appropriate conclusion."
Though it was a difficult decision, Dave Seanor, the magazine's editor, said, "If you're going to do this story on the cover, you don't have many choices. It's Kelly Tilghman's face or a noose.. .Was it an arresting image? Yes, it was. We chose it because it was an image we thought would draw attention to an issue we thought deserved some intelligent dialogue."
CBSSportsline's Steve Elling asks, "But is emphasizing the noose, given its racist connotations and galling symbolism, a form of intentional journalistic pandering?"
