World bodies back ruling on Woods

Golf's governing bodies ruled on Wednesday that Augusta National officials made the correct call not to disqualify world No 1 Tiger Woods for an improper ball drop at the Masters.

The Royal & Ancient and United States Golf Association released a joint statement explaining in lengthy detail the controversial events that occurred during Woods's second round and sent the year's first major into a frenzy.

Woods avoided disqualification from the Masters when, after failing to add strokes to his scorecard for an improper drop, officials used discretionary powers to hand him a two-stroke penalty.

The 14-time major champion, who draws massive TV ratings and was a favorite at Augusta National, earned his reprieve after a review by officials of a penalty drop he took during the second round at the par-five 15th last month.

Aided by a recently amended rule announced at the 2011 Masters, Woods was not disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard because his infringement was based on television evidence.

The R&A and USGA determined the original ruling was based on exceptional facts and officials were right not to disqualify Woods, but stressed players are still under an obligation to return a correct scorecard and understand the rules.

The sport's governing bodies also maintain that officials are under no obligation to make players aware of any possible rules infraction.

"The Woods ruling was based on exceptional facts, as required by Rule 33-7, and should not be viewed as a general precedent for relaxing or ignoring a competitor's essential obligation under the rules to return a correct score-card," the R&A and USGA said in a statement.

"Further, although a committee should do its best to alert competitors to potential rules issues that may come to its attention, it has no general obligation to do so; and the fact that a committee may be aware of such a potential issue before the competitor returns his score card should not, in and of itself, be a basis for waiving a penalty of disqualification."

(China Daily 05/03/2013 page23)