PGA Tour commissioner Finchem has been supportive of Woods

PGA Tour chief Tim Finchem accepts Tiger Woods's absence from the circuit will have an impact on golf but insists it is not all "doom and gloom".

Woods said last week that he is taking an indefinite break from golf in an attempt to save his marriage after apologising for his infidelity.

Finchem told Radio 5 live: "Golf won't be at the same level without our number one player, no sport would be.

"But the doom and gloom needs to go away as it's misleading to our fans."

Woods, who was voted athlete of the decade by sports editors in the United States earlier this week, is yet to indicate how long his hiatus from the sport will last.

But Finchem is confident that the US PGA Tour will have a prosperous season regardless of how long it is without its best player.

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He pointed out that Woods only plays about 16 times a year and other tournaments have survived.

"We are going to be successful in 2010 if Tiger is out for a couple of months, or eight months or one year," he said. "We are going to have a successful year."

Finchem released a statement last week supporting Woods's decision, saying that his priorities were in the right place.

He also believes golf fans will continue to support the 33-year-old, who has won 14 majors, four behind Jack Nicklaus, who has won the most.

"People have common sense," he added. "They are intelligent and when they look at this they will keep it in balance.

"I'm not suggesting that his popularity level is going to soar again but people generally are going to want him to deal with his issues, come back and succeed.

"Eventually he'll find a significant amount of support."

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