Tiger Woods Assessed Two Stroke Penalty After Friday Drop Reviewed at Masters

After a bad break on the 15th hole of Friday's round that saw Tiger Woods' ball hit the pin and spin back into the water, Masters officials reviewed tape of his ensuing drop and assessed a two-stroke penalty.

Woods had three options after his ball found the water, according to rule 26-1:

• Play from a designated drop area, which he chose not to do because he did not like the lie.
• Drop the ball, keeping the point where it last crossed the margin of the water between the hole and the spot on which the ball would be dropped.
• Return to the original spot from which he played, and drop "as nearly as possible,'' from where he played the third shot.

He elected the third option, but admitted to dropping "two yards" behind the original shot, thus bringing into question the meaning of "as near as possible."

Due to the ambiguity of the rules, Tiger was assessed a two-stroke penalty. The rules committee at Augusta cited USGA rule 33-7, which reads:

A penalty of disqualification may in exceptional individual cases be waived, modified or imposed if the Committee considers such action warranted.

Any penalty less than disqualification must not be waived or modified.

If a Committee considers that a player is guilty of a serious breach of etiquette, it may impose a penalty of disqualification under this Rule.

Woods starts Saturday's round at 1 under par, five strokes out of first.