FLORIDA - US PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem had a US$400,000 (S$611,254) drop in his compensation last year, but the US$4.8 million (S$7.3 million) in salary and bonuses was still enough to be the equivalent of No. 3 on the money list for the second straight year.

The Sports Business Journal, citing the latest tax forms the tour is required to file, said Finchem received US$1.3 million in salary, US$3.2 million in bonuses and US$240,000 in benefits. In 2006, he received about US$5.2 million, which spokesman Ty Votaw attributed to an additional bonus the commissioner received for 'extraordinary service in 2005.' Finchem made US$4.2 million in 2005, the equivalent of No. 5 on the money list.

The journal said Finchem still earned less than NHL commissioner Gary Bettman (US$5.59 million) and less than half the compensation of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (US$11.2 million prorated).

The tour's tax forms indicate that co-chief operating officers Ed Moorhouse (US$1.6 million) and Charlie Zink (US$1.5 million) were the next highest-paid employees, followed by chief marketing officer Tom Wade and chief financial officer Ron Price at US$1 million each.

According to the most recent tax forms available for the US LPGA Tour, commissioner Carolyn Bivens earned US$710,812 in salary and benefits in 2006. Two years earlier, in his final full year as US LPGA commissioner, Mr Votaw was paid US$478,897. -- AP