Tiger Almost DQ’ed From The Masters

tigerOn the 15th hole yesterday, Tiger Wood’s third stroke hit the flagstick sitting in the hole, then rolled into the water hazard. Woods took another stoke, but took it two yards back from the original spot, which Tiger admitted he did because of the conditions around the original spot. Woods gave himself a one-stroke penalty.

But USGA Rule 26-1a states a player must take the stroke “as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played.” Which means Tiger should have given himself a two-stroke penalty, meaning he filled out an incorrect scorecard, which often results in a disqualification. But The Masters organizers gave Woods a two-stroke penalty, and will allow him to play on. The decision came after 15-year old Tianlang Guan was given a one-stroke penalty Friday for slow play (first in a major in ten years, and last done in the PGA three years before Guan was born), and nearly cost him making the cut.

Woods with his one stroke penalty was 7th, 3 under par; he is now tied for 19th, 1 under par.

Read more at CBS Sports.