OT: The Masters - Should Tiger DQ himself?

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He took an illegal drop yesterday after hitting the ball in the water on the 15th hole. Masters officials reviewed it and assessed Woods with a two stroke penalty this morning. They could have disqualified him for signing an incorrect scorecard, but he's still in the tourney (would have to think considerable pressure from CBS to allow Tiger to continue).

 

[dash]

Just found this:

Woods was not disqualified because of a relatively recent rule that allows the rules committee discretion when it comes to violations reported after the fact. Masters officials reviewed the drop on Saturday morning, applying the revision to "Decision 33-7/4.5", which, according to the USGA's website, addresses "the situation where a player is not aware he has breached a Rule because of facts that he did not know and could not reasonably have discovered prior to returning his score card.

"Under this revised decision and at the discretion of the Committee, the player still receives the penalty associated with the breach of the underlying Rule, but is not disqualified."

 

[BrawlinHawkeye]

Absolutely he should be disqualified. The PGA is like the NCAA. Both are degenerates.

 

[sbb122]

Dash, you hit both points dead on, the new rule and the TV coverage does not want him out. I hope he stays in the tourney and loses by a stroke.

/Not a Tiger fan (golfer or person)

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Nah, I agree with the rule. He's the best golfer in the world, I highly doubt he would intentionally jeopardize a Major to get a slightly better shot. He got his 2 stroke penalty, it's legit.

 

[LeaderOCola]

Nah, I agree with the rule. He's the best golfer in the world, I highly doubt he would intentionally jeopardize a Major to get a slightly better shot. He got his 2 stroke penalty, it's legit.

on intent

"
Woods is currently just three shots off the lead held by Australian Jason Day in a tie for seventh.
"I went down to the drop area, that wasn't going to be a good spot, because obviously it's into the grain, it's really grainy there," he said.
"And it was a little bit wet. So it was muddy and not a good spot to drop. So I went back to where I played it from, but I went two yards further back.
"I tried to take two yards off the shot of what I felt I hit - that should land me short of the flag and not have it either hit the flag or skip over the back.
"I felt that that was going to be the right decision to take off four right there. And I did. It worked out perfectly."

for those who think it wasn't strategy/intent.

I think the bold clearly shows opposite

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I think the bold clearly shows opposite

Right, but I don't believe he intentionally broke the rules. I think it was ignorance or a mental lapse on his part. He was penalized for it.

 

[pixburgher66]

I have zero sympathy for the guy...but he was told it was a legal play, and then the PGA went back to look at it, determined it wasn't allowed. Although, I think he was told it was legal when he signed his card, and that's not why the penalty was assessed. I don't think he should DQ himself, that's just silly...no reason to.

 

[esls79]

The new rule is in place due to increased tv coverage - even though each group has at least one rules official with them, they along with the players cannot pick up everything or even interpret the confusing rules of golf at times. The new rule says at the time of scorecard signing, it was a correct scorecard - a rule interpretation after the fact doesn't change that and allows a non DQ with a penalty imposed. I like this new rule.

Now on the other hand, Tiger knew he didn't drop as close to his original spot as he could - the game is on an honor system, could go either way on this one. Tiger was assessed a two stroke penalty after the fact in Dubai earlier this season causing him to miss the cut, so he's not immune to taking illegal relief.

Appaently Shanahan didn't see anything wrong and deemed it a normal golf play as Tiger kept his elbows down and didn't leave his feet when he dropped.

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

Dash, you hit both points dead on, the new rule and the TV coverage does not want him out. I hope he stays in the tourney and loses by a stroke.

/Not a Tiger fan (golfer or person)

Second place money is still a shit ton more than I make. Worth it.
Uf you hate him you want him DQ. No money. Send home in shame.

Of course, he'll win, and giggle while putting that green jacket on.

 

[dash]

I listened to the explanation provided during the presser this morning and I agree with the Golf Channel's Brandel Chamblee, Tiger may have not known he was breaking a rule, but I think he knowingly took advantage by dropping the ball where he did. All I will say is that David Toms disqualified himself (withdrew) from the 2005 British Open when he called himself for (maybe) addressing a moving ball on the green. It is important to note that nobody called Toms for an infraction, he called it on himself.

 

[dash]

On another note, how about 53 year old Fred Couples, come on Boom Boom!!

 

[beantownmaniac]

He took an illegal drop yesterday after hitting the ball in the water on the 15th hole. Masters officials reviewed it and assessed Woods with a two stroke penalty this morning. They could have disqualified him for signing an incorrect scorecard, but he's still in the tourney (would have to think considerable pressure from CBS to allow Tiger to continue).

No. If it weren't for someone watching on TV there never would have been an issue. That's why they made the rule last year. there's lots of players who could have done the same thing but because they aren't on TV having every shot being shown like Tiger, they wouldn't have been caught. I think it's time golf catches up with the times anyway. Some of the rules are just plain ridiculous. Also, there should have been a tourney official there.

 

[beantownmaniac]

I think the bold clearly shows opposite

Right, but I don't believe he intentionally broke the rules. I think it was ignorance or a mental lapse on his part. He was penalized for it.

He thought rule 26 was in play where you can go back as much as you want. Personally I hate seeing players DQ'ed for honest mistakes. There should be an official with every group to explain the options in such cases. It would be the best thing for golf especially in these big tourneys. Look at the player who a few years ago got DQ'ed because he thought he was hitting off bare ground but it was considered a sand trap so he wasn't supposed to ground his club. To call that a sand trap was a joke.

 

[Darkstone42]

He thought rule 26 was in play where you can go back as much as you want. Personally I hate seeing players DQ'ed for honest mistakes. There should be an official with every group to explain the options in such cases. It would be the best thing for golf especially in these big tourneys. Look at the player who a few years ago got DQ'ed because he thought he was hitting off bare ground but it was considered a sand trap so he wasn't supposed to ground his club. To call that a sand trap was a joke.

My roommate and I were actually talking about that one. It was classified as a hazard, and you can't touch your club to a hazard. There were over 200 hazards on that course, and expecting the players to have them all memorized would have been absurd. If they're going to call so many things hazards, they should probably label the ones which aren't obvious.

 

[dash]

Also, there should have been a tourney official there.

Kramer would have called him on it (lol)

 

[apachef4]

Paul Azinger made the point this morning that if Tiger were to withdraw, it would completely undermine the new rule. It would set a precedent that even though you're ok by rule, that the "right" thing to do would be to withdraw anyway, making the rule moot and pointless.

I'm not sure I would go that far, but I don't think he should have withdrawn. If this was 2 years ago, he would have been DQ'd because that's what the rules were. They changed them, and now he gets the penalty and is allowed to stay in the tourney. I have no issue with it.

 

[dare2be]

Should he DQ himself? I think he should.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Should he? I think he should.

He probably did.

 

[dare2be]

He probably did.

Well, if he did, I'm sure it wasn't the 'ol soft serve.