As mentioned above though. Both parties accepted the error and the punishment and now lets look forward to some good golf over the next two days

Apparently there is a rule that restricts the use of TV replays to penalize players after the round (there's nuances to it but this rule plays into why he wasn't disqualified). A viewer actually called the organizers before his round ended to report the infraction - this was assessed before his round ended and no action was taken. Another report came from the public after Tiger's post-round interview which led the rules committee to review it again at which time they gave him the penalty. You can see why they might be lenient here, Tiger or not.

If that's the case then it's all on the organisers.

If they've told him he did nothing wrong, so he signs his card, to then tell him after he's done it that they got it wrong in the first place, to then disqualify him from an error they have made, would be incredibly harsh. I don't care who it is, getting DQ'd for that would be rotten luck through no fault of your own.

The worst case of Tiger getting lucky was that time he blasted it on a hotel roof and got a free drop.

It was something like that anyway.

Well tim clark is clearly on drugs, -5 today thru 9

So is Mickelson. Just the wrong ones. He's just doubled both 11 and 12 to go to +5 for the day.

Thorbjorn Olesen having a very good day so far. Stuck a quid on him at the start of the week. Shame his first round let him down. Great talent.

1 shot penalty playing with speed

I was hoping Mickelson would go low today. You knew he would be aggressive, but to erratic these days.

It's the fact that in golf the rules are very strict, and any breaches very often lead to disqualification, even though at the time it seems harsh and common sense doesn't come into it. Now when a lot of 'experts' suggest that Woods should have been disqualified, it seems that someone wishes to apply a bit of common sense and not disqualify him, which goes against what has generally happened in the past (maybe different circumstances, but most feel that Woods has got off lightly) - this naturally leads to controversy and accusations that Woods is getting preferential treatment. This indeed might be the case, as can be in most sports with high profile players, but it doesn't do the image of the game any good.

Not looking forward to Monty's schyophantic, bitter ranting in an hours time. I think his conduct is a disgrace on Sky. All he wants to do is big up the Europeans and make it a contest between them and the US. His punditry and inability not to talk about himself at the Ryder Cup ruined the coverage for me.

Does he rile anybody else, or is it just me?

Yeah can't stand Monty. I appreciated his frankness when he was playing, because it seemed refreshing to be so candid in interviews. But as a pundit he really irritates me and there's usually nothing of substance behind anything he says.

Wow Mickelson has really pooed the bed.

He's the Roy Keane of pundits
Horrible self centred toss pot

kinsang

Good post. I probably went overboard with my first post today which I apologise for. I just don't like the idea of people calling elite golfers 'cheats'. I don't think any of them are, and I would like to hope when they know they've made an error they own up to it. In this case, I think Woods has just had a mental brainfart, nothing more.

Whilst I think this is all on the organisers, as they have dictated to Woods what he should do by cleared him of any wrongdoing before his card was signed. I also think that if he was to get DQ'd then that would also be understandable due to the signing of the card generally being the final say. Albeit, I maintain that Woods would be the victim of rotten luck through no real fault of his own.

Kuchar is coming back baby

Yeah, Monty was even criticising Van Pelt the other night for letting his son play the final green. Made a mockery of the tournament apparently.

The guy is a joyless muppet.

comment by Kagawa_26 (U15671)



posted 20 minutes ago


If that's the case then it's all on the organisers.

----------------------------
No

It is completely the fault of Tiger

He is 100 % responsible for knowing the rules. No one else.

He signed an incorrect card and this really isn'y grey

If this had been someone else lower down the leaderboard, he'd be on his way home.

They have done everything they can to get him back in the comp.

I've have seen far less serious situations where players have signed an incorrect card and been disqualified. ball moving unbeknowing to the player and trial by TV has had them disqualified.

They then say is IS trial by TV which is why they have not DQ'd him when in truth, he actually stated where he had dropped the ball not realsing at the time, he'd broke a rule.

The rule may be stupid, but, despute applying it 100% in the past, they have chosen to ignore it for Tiger

They stank out Golf today.

If I was playing in the touny, I'd withdraw in protest

I'm listening to the rules official explain the ruling right now. I'm convinced Tiger is being penalized for semantics. In his interview he stated he took a couple of yards off his next shot. When I saw the interview live, I interpreted this as he dropped accurately but 'dialed it back' to hit it a few yards softer. The rules officials however interpreted this as he knowingly dropped a few yards back. However, they assessed the video of where he dropped it before the round ended and they did not penalize him. This means either the rules officials are to blame for waffling or Tiger knowingly violated the rule (which I don't believe or he wouldn't have admitted it in his interview).

By the way conspiracy theorists, it was CBS who reported Tigers "incriminating' comments to the Rules Committee.

Macca

So it's 100% his fault that the organisers told him he was under investigation, that they themselves had found no fault with his shot, therefore giving him the go ahead to sign his card?

His mistake is 100% of his fault, that is certain. Receiving punishment for that is fair game.

But the organisers telling him he can sign his card. How on earth is that in his control? Did you expect him to ignore what they said? Pretending he is to blame for what transpired after is rubbish, for me.

And so is the stuff about any other guy in the field going home. That isn't the case at all. Any player in the 30 would be afforded that luxury, and actually, I think so would anybody else in the field if the same balls up had been made by the organizers.

This isn't football or motorsport in which games are full of this sort of thing. I would argue that golf handles this kind of thing very well and is fair to the whole field. There is no conspiracy here, and I can't help but think that people who think there are, have an agenda against Woods for previous on and off course behaviour. I can't stand somebody like Keegan Bradley but if this was him I would be full of sympathy, too. Bear in mind, I keep saying that if Woods was DQ'd I'd understand.

I will criticise John Paramore, though. That Guan getting a time violation and not somebody like Day, Bradley or Na is hilarious.

comment by Kagawa_26 (U15671)



posted 4 minutes ago


Macca

So it's 100% his fault that the organisers told him he was under investigation, that they themselves had found no fault with his shot, therefore giving him the go ahead to sign his card?

-----------------
That isn't what happened.

He signed the card before admittting why he went two yards back.

As far as the organisers were concerend he hadn't broke any rules until Tiger explained why he dropped it where he did.

It was for his own advantage and Tiger should have known 100% that is against the rules

Remember, it wasn't until the interview and Tiger's confession that the organisers then realised he had broken the rules.
Tiger should have explained why he dropped it where he did BEFORE he signed his card

A retrospective 2 shot penalty is cheating on the part of the organisers and Tiger continuing is simply endorsing it.

Guan getting a penalty is just as big a joke.

It just couldn't be because they don't want this kid upstaging someone could it?

The Masters has always been an utter joke to me and I would have stripped it of its major status long ago

I've been complaining about the fact that the Augusta comittee are denying fans around the world a chance to see the whole tournament on TV for decades now. It's pathetic and stuck up.

Their reasoning?

Apparantly it's because it leaves us just waning more

The masters has really stank out golf for me this week

Guan getting a penalty is just as big a joke.

It just couldn't be because they don't want this kid upstaging someone could it?

-------------------------------

I joked about this yesterday, but are you serious? I think the rules officials have cocked it up twice here, but there is no conspiracy.

Hilarious listening to the commentators repeatingly say "OK, it's time to put this behind us and get back to golf" only to fall back down the rabbit hole again.

I joked about this yesterday, but are you serious?
---------------
Of course I am

This is officialdom we are talking about

For me, Tiger did not set out to blatantly cheat, and as I said before, at the time of the incident no-one was saying, 'hey, what's he doing there, he's cheating'. The problem for me is that having been found guilty of a breach, most expected a disqualification punishment, in keeping with previous punishments given out, but instead they chose the 2 shot penalty - it's not Tiger's fault that they chose to punish him that way, the organisers for me bottled the decision, and you can't help but conclude that his status affected the decision.

Putting to one side Tiger's involvement, it does highlight how silly some of the rules of golf appear to be. Those in the know will go on about the integrity of the game etc, but I think there needs to be some leeway and a bit of common sense brought in. From what I have seen, golfers tend to high very high standards of sportsmanship (and golf prides itself on that), but sometimes there are situations in golf where a punishment is handed out and you think - was he trying to cheat, or did he actually gain any advantage?? Sometimes there are technical breaches, where pretty much everyone agrees that no advantage has been gained, yet some sort of punishment is given out.

In Tiger's case, in terms of 'fairness', the punishment was probably correct, but as someone once said, golf isn't usually very fair, and hence everyone was expecting a disqualification.

But enough of all that - just hope my bets do ok!!!

After Fowler's disastrous finish yesterday I'm not expecting too much from him, but I see Watney's having a stprming finish and hope Scott can put a good round together.

A few of the players are saying they can't now disqualify a player for signing for an incorrect score again.

Faldo is saying he should have DQ'd himself.



Question

How many of TV's global audience would have switched off if Tiger was disqualified?

hMacca

But unless I'm getting this wrong, which could be the case admittedly, somebody called in before Woods had finished his round. His shot was then under investigation, for them to tell him that they had seen nothing wrong with it; he therefore signed his card. That is absolutely the fault of the officials if that is the case.

This could be seen as a case of semantics on the basis on what Woods has said. But I will 100% stand by that he hasn't 'cheated'. He is many, many things, but not that. Furthermore, he would not admit to doing what he did if he had knowingly cheated. He made an error. But this error was compounded by an even bigger one from the organisers.

Bear in mind, I also think he should have been DQ'd and I've maintained that from the start. But, the officials have to take blame for the furore.

For what it's worth, your argument regarding Harrington has just been discussed on Sky. It seems his situation was the reason this rule was implemented due to that. There really no conspiracy here.

As for your opinion on the Masters. I totally disagree. It's my favourite major personally. Great course, shorter field which limits Shaun Micheel's from winning and good scoring. Personally, the Open is my least favorite. The Old Course being on the roster so regularly is a joke.