Just finished watching Tiger finish tied for 4th place in this years Masters. I wonder what it must be like to be so good at something…nearly perfect…that it costs you The Masters. I was watching on Friday when his approach shot hit the pin on the 15th hole and spun back into the water. It sucks. Your so good that you put a shot off the flag stick and so much backspin on it that the ball moonwalks into the water for a 1 stroke penalty. On Saturday I find out about the whole two-stroke penalty for not dropping the ball near to where his first one was. Are you kidding me?
I’ve played golf my entire life and know the basic rules. I didn’t think Tiger was breaking any rules. The crowd didn’t think he was breaking any rules. The announcers didn’t think he was breaking any rules. THE OFFICIALS WALKING WITH HIM DIDN”T STOP HIM AND TELL HIM HE WAS BREAKING ANY RULES.
Rule 26-1(a) says you must “drop as close as possible to the point of the prior shot, no closer to the hole.” What’s “as close as possible?” I’m sorry but fail. This is horribly worded. The rule needs to state a specific distance (1 yard, clubs length, etc.). The 2 shot penalty is a joke because the rule is a joke and more importantly the officials didn’t catch it on the spot. And then you have a viewer call in to question it? LOL.
I go back to the shot though. If his shot goes a .5 inch right or left of the stick you know its gonna stick within 4 feet of the hole where he probably makes birdie. Instead, he makes a very impressive bogey and then the ridiculous two-stroke penalty is enforced. We’re talking about the sway of 4 shots because of his one awesome shot that was a little too awesome. He literally got shafted.
Who knows if Tiger wins if the 2 shot penalty isn’t enforced. But man, I really think Tiger wins The Masters if that shot doesn’t hit the stick. I sure wouldn’t want to see Tiger Woods at the top of the leader board going into the last day if I was playing.