Moments after Augusta National rules officials announced that Tiger Woods would receive a two-shot penalty for an improper drop instead of disqualification for signing an incorrect scorecard, the Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee voiced his opinion on-air.
The Masters 2013: ‘Tiger Woods should disqualify himself’
The Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee feels very strongly that Tiger Woods should step down and disqualify himself. Was the rule book twisted in favor of Woods?
“I’m a fan of Tiger Woods and a huge fan of golf,” Chamblee prefaced. “This is going to be the most controversial thing that follows him around for the rest of his career.”
“This is a flagrant, obvious violation. If Tiger has read the rule -- and I am sure he has by now -- it is incumbent upon him to say that he is in violation of [Rule] 26-1a and disqualify himself. Anything else, frankly, is unacceptable.”
This decision comes on the heels of a 2011 USGA decision regarding high-definition television cameras potentially giving viewers an advantage over players. Under that rule, players who unknowingly signed an incorrect scorecard after learning of a rules infraction -- as pointed-out by cameras -- would receive a two-shot penalty in lieu of disqualification.
“This is a solution to a modern phenomenon that the rules never contemplated,” said Mike Davis, executive director of the USGA that year. “These are things that could not happen in day-to-day competition and couldn’t be discovered without specialized cameras that zoom in and make a golf ball look the size of a basketball.”
Clearly, there will be much debate on whether today’s ruling was appropriate in the case of Tiger Woods.
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