Yep, they reviewed it while he was finishing up on 18, I think the whole thing stinks.
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Concur.....and this is from someone who hopes Tiger shanks every shot he takes.
I liked the kid the first few years, but the past handful of years as he gets older, I want him to tank.
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I do have an issue that he took a drop to gain an advantage (admittedly) but if the rules official told him it was OK, then that's not his fault.

Stupid question, but I haven't heard.....Did an official clarify that he could drop where he did prior to him hitting the shot?
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26-2. Ball Played Within Water Hazard
• a. Ball Comes to Rest in Same or Another Water Hazard
If a ball played from within a water hazard comes to rest in the same or another water hazard after the stroke, the player may: (i) proceed under Rule 26-1a. If, after dropping in the hazard, the player elects not to play the dropped ball, he may:
(a) proceed under Rule 26-1b, or if applicable Rule 26-1c, adding the additional penalty of one stroke prescribed by the Rule and using as the reference point the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of this hazard before it came to rest in this hazard; or
(b) add an additional penalty of one stroke and play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the last stroke from outside a water hazard was made (see Rule 20-5); or
(ii) proceed under Rule 26-1b, or if applicable Rule 26-1c; or
(iii) under penalty of one stroke, play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the last stroke from outside a water hazard was made (see Rule 20-5).
• b. Ball Lost or Unplayable Outside Hazard or Out of Bounds
If a ball played from within a water hazard is lost or deemed unplayable outside the hazard or is out of bounds, the player may, after taking a penalty of one stroke under Rule 27-1 or 28a:
(i) play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot in the hazard from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or
(ii) proceed under Rule 26-1b, or if applicable Rule 26-1c, adding the additional penalty of one stroke prescribed by the Rule and using as the reference point the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the hazard before it came to rest in the hazard; or
(iii) add an additional penalty of one stroke and play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the last stroke from outside a water hazard was made (see Rule 20-5).
Note 1: When proceeding under Rule 26-2b, the player is not required to drop a ball under Rule 27-1 or 28a. If he does drop a ball, he is not required to play it. He may alternatively proceed under Rule 26-2b(ii) or (iii).
Note 2: If a ball played from within a water hazard is deemed unplayable outside the hazard, nothing in Rule 26-2b precludes the player from proceeding under Rule 28b or c.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE:
Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes.
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The rules officials never said a thing until this morning after they reviewed his post round comments where he admitted he improved his lie. The reviewed it amongst themselves while he was playing 18 and determined it was OK, but even Tiger knew (or should have) that it was an illegal drop. This rule 33 makes it a gray area, where it was a black and white violation.

The honorable thing to do is admit your mistake and withdraw. Faxon, Begay, Faldo all said they would withdraw if it was them.
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It's ironic how perfectly he played that hole and at best ends up with an 8 :-)

Hitting the stick was a terrible break.
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I don't know that he improved his lie as much he he improved his distance. When I think of improving a lie, I think of the way the ball was sitting, or moving the ball to avoid an obstacle. I've never heard that moving a ball back a few feet as an improvement, and he was already dropping 4, playing 5.

It's pretty moot at this point. If he wins the tournament, people are going to talk about it forever. If he doesn't, it'll be a footnote.
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I agree with everything you just said, he gained an advantage by moving back 6 feet, so if he hits the exact same shot, it will not hit the flag the 2nd time.
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I don't think he should withdraw, but he should have known the rule. A lot of professional golfers don't know all of the intricacies of the rule book. With that said, Tiger prepares at insane rates. I have a hard time imagining that he didn't know the specifics of that rule, as the options of water hazards, whether lateral or traditional, are among the most discussed and used of the rules.

He deserves the penalty. Moving back two yards is not "as near as possible".
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IMO, it's up to the officials to enforce the rules. Competitors, no matter the sport, push them to the limits.

Thus, when he knew that the drop was reviewed and approved, the "discussion" ended, and therefore the penalty is yet another example of bullshit in the game of golf.
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The officials told him before the end of the round that what he did was fine. There is no controversy here if this isn't Tiger Woods.

Going to be tough for him to win now. Probably needs back to back 67s.
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I understand the logic behind your stance, but golf has always existed as the exception to the rule, and this is another reason why. To you, it's anachronistic and foolish; to me, it's part of what makes the game beautiful.

To further clarify:

In golf, you are supposed to police yourself. That means calling yourself out for breeches, and not relying on an incorrect interpretation of the rules to skirt by.
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If they were giving Tiger a break because of TV ratings, wouldn't there be a place to watch him play right now? For the second time in three days, these ****s didn't make his group available to watch online. Ridiculous shit.
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I can appreciate your perspective, but many wrongs (speaking specifically in terms of exclusionary, bigoted bullshit) have been upheld in the sport in the name of tradition. Thus, I cannot separate the two.

Note: I realize that one can, as you would argue as strongly as anyone against any of the concepts that I placed in parentheses.
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I hope Tiger goes in full FU mode and shoots a 65 or 66 today.
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