Followup link. The man is in ICU after a 25 hour surgery, with positive results thus far. Plans are to transfer him to the Burn Unit in Halifax, where he currently is, to get specialized plastic surgery. Suspicions are handhold loops to grab hold of tightened around his fingers as the game progressed, eventually severing them.
Keeping in mind that rope is a bunch of fine, often strong strands of fibre, and that the rope likely tightened very fast, very quickly while he was being tugged in every direction, then I guess this shows it's a possibility. I know people who get cuts on their hands and skin worn off by swinging a tennis racket too hard (albeit a very difficult level of magnitude, but for far less stress on a finger) -- scary to think that if something thin and strong enough (even ordinary) can get under a bone it can seperate all the tissue between if it's pulled tightly and hard against an immobile finger, like it was in this case. I feel sorry for the guy, and hope him the best for a full recovery so he can begin his retirement golf rounds he was looking forward to in full style!
CKA Super Elite 
