Tiger Woods - Special Treatment?

[CanadaJohn]

Yesterday, on the 15th hole at the Masters, Tiger Woods broke the rules related to his drop after his third shot went into the water. Initially, the rules committee let him off but then, after hearing his interviews with the media in which Woods described what he did and unknowingly admitted he broke the rules, the rules committee decided to have a nother hearing about it this morning.

The rules committee this morning let Tiger Woods off easy and instead of disqualifying him from the tournament, assigned him a 2 stroke penalty and is letting him continue to play.

Many people are disgusted by the favoritism shown Woods, particularly considering the harshness with which the 14yr old Chinese phenom was penalized a stroke for taking 10 seconds too long to take a shot - a penalty that has never been assigned to any golfer in the Masters in the history of the tournament even though a usual round in the Masters takes over 6 hours. This Woods ruling stinks of the TV networks involvement, demanding that Woods be allowed to continue play because he's the biggest TV draw.

In my view, the only way Woods survives this and comes out looking good is if he ignores the rules committee and withdraws from the tournament since the rules would normally result in any other golfer being disqualified. If Woods stays in the tournament, nothing he does will be legitimate and if he should win, it would be a travesty.

I'd be interested in what other people think.

 

[Lutherf]

I'm not entirely up to speed on the rules of golf and only have cursory knowledge of the infraction but this strikes me as fair. What he did would be the equivalent of a pitcher making a balk in a baseball game. You assess the penalty and move on. You DO NOT kick the pitcher out of the game. Hell it took a whole damned day and a room full of experts to even decide IF there was a violation.

 

[The Man]

Of course Tiger Woods gets special treatment, he's the only reason most people watch golf. Woods in The Masters = ratings = money for CBS, so CBS is going to do everything in their power to make sure he's not disqualified, even though any other golfer would have been.

 

[CanadaJohn]

I'm not entirely up to speed on the rules of golf and only have cursory knowledge of the infraction but this strikes me as fair. What he did would be the equivalent of a pitcher making a balk in a baseball game. You assess the penalty and move on. You DO NOT kick the pitcher out of the game. Hell it took a whole damned day and a room full of experts to even decide IF there was a violation.

Golf is a "sport" where the rules are archaic, rigid, sometimes illogical, but always strictly enforced. Fairness never is a consideration. Your analogy to baseball isn't similar in that in baseball if a pitcher balks, the rule is to move the runners up one base, not throw the pitcher out. You don't make up a penalty greater than or less than the penalty the rule book calls for.

 

[The Man]

I also don't think Tiger will withdraw himself, because then he'd be not only angering the TV network, but also his sponsors. There's a ton of money invested into that dude, and unfortunately that means rules will be bent and/or broken for him.

 

[Lutherf]

Of course Tiger Woods gets special treatment, he's the only reason most people watch golf. Woods in The Masters = ratings = money for CBS, so CBS is going to do everything in their power to make sure he's not disqualified, even though any other golfer would have been.

Any other would have been DQ'd? I really don't think so. No violation had been pointed out at the time he signed his card. Nobody at the tournament recognized the violation. It was apparently somebody watching on TV that caught it.

 

[The Man]

Any other would have been DQ'd? I really don't think so. No violation had been pointed out at the time he signed his card. Nobody at the tournament recognized the violation. It was apparently somebody watching on TV that caught it.

Yes they would have been DQ'd. That is the rule for what he did, not a two stroke penalty.

 

[Lutherf]

Golf is a "sport" where the rules are archaic, rigid, sometimes illogical, but always strictly enforced. Fairness never is a consideration. Your analogy to baseball isn't similar in that in baseball if a pitcher balks, the rule is to move the runners up one base, not throw the pitcher out. You don't make up a penalty greater than or less than the penalty the rule book calls for.

Since Woods didn't drop in the correct place he should have been assessed an additional stroke. That's what happened. The DQ was supposed to be for signing an incorrect scorecard which he couldn't possibly have known was incorrect since that additional stroke wasn't assessed until today.

 

[CanadaJohn]

I also don't think Tiger will withdraw himself, because then he'd be not only angering the TV network, but also his sponsors. There's a ton of money invested into that dude, and unfortunately that means rules will be bent and/or broken for him.

If he stays in the Masters, he will only reinforce the negative "cheating" persona he has from his affairs while married that almost ruined his career earlier. If he stays in, he will be illustrating that he has no personal honor or integrity.

 

[CanadaJohn]

Any other would have been DQ'd? I really don't think so. No violation had been pointed out at the time he signed his card. Nobody at the tournament recognized the violation. It was apparently somebody watching on TV that caught it.

This frequently happens during televised PGA events. It's not a disqualification until such time as the player signs his card falsely. Once he does so, he can't take it back and he's, by rule, disqualified. If it's caught before he signs the card, the 2 stroke penalty could be assigned and noted on his scorecard.

 

[Lutherf]

Wow...you guys are just being crazy harsh.

The haters will hate Tiger no matter what he does.

 

[CanadaJohn]

Since Woods didn't drop in the correct place he should have been assessed an additional stroke. That's what happened. The DQ was supposed to be for signing an incorrect scorecard which he couldn't possibly have known was incorrect since that additional stroke wasn't assessed until today.

He's supposed to know the rules - period. If he breaks one of the rules, he's honor bound by the rules of golf to acknowledge that error and assign himself the appropriate penalty - he didn't do that. Not knowing the rules isn't an excuse for not being disqualified.

 

[Chaddelamancha]

Yes they would have been DQ'd. That is the rule for what he did, not a two stroke penalty.

The play was reviewed while Tiger was still on course and it was determined that he complied with the rules. It wasn't until after his round was complete that they went back (based on a caller) and reviewed it and determined it was in violation of the rules. Hence, Rule 26, two shot penalty, was enforced. Rule 33 was what kept him from being DQ'd. It was all fair.

https://twitter.com/AUG_Masters/status/323082517127258112/photo/1

 

[CanadaJohn]

Wow...you guys are just being crazy harsh.

The haters will hate Tiger no matter what he does.

It's not a matter of being harsh, it's a matter of golf's history with applying the rules without exception or "mercy". There are dozens of examples of this "harsh" treatment over the years. What's crazy is that the rules committee contorted themselves in order to keep Woods in the tournament.

 

[Lutherf]

This frequently happens during televised PGA events. It's not a disqualification until such time as the player signs his card falsely. Once he does so, he can't take it back and he's, by rule, disqualified. If it's caught before he signs the card, the 2 stroke penalty could be assigned and noted on his scorecard.

Did Tiger "settle any doubtful points with the committee" prior to signing his card? From what I know of this there were no doubtful points to settle at that time so as far as I can see he correctly signed his card in accordance with 6-6b

 

[Chaddelamancha]

There weren't "any doubtful points with the committee" because they had already reviewed it. It was his interview after the round and a caller that prompted the second review.

Did Tiger "settle any doubtful points with the committee" prior to signing his card? From what I know of this there were no doubtful points to settle at that time so as far as I can see he correctly signed his card in accordance with 6-6b

 

[Chaddelamancha]

Look at the statement I posted. There was no contortions, just following the rules.

It's not a matter of being harsh, it's a matter of golf's history with applying the rules without exception or "mercy". There are dozens of examples of this "harsh" treatment over the years. What's crazy is that the rules committee contorted themselves in order to keep Woods in the tournament.

 

[CanadaJohn]

The play was reviewed while Tiger was still on course and it was determined that he complied with the rules. It wasn't until after his round was complete that they went back (based on a caller) and reviewed it and determined it was in violation of the rules. Hence, Rule 26, two shot penalty, was enforced. Rule 33 was what kept him from being DQ'd. It was all fair.

https://twitter.com/AUG_Masters/status/323082517127258112/photo/1

So, clearly, they didn't rule properly in the first instance and had to revisit the issue later. The fact remains that Woods is required to know all the rules of golf and of the golf course and even if he unknowingly signed his card with the wrong score on it for the 15th hole, he should suffer the consequences of that error. Golf relies on the honor of the player, true sportsmanship that requires the player to accept and penalize himself for his errors even if they were inadvertent. To do otherwise is to lose honor amongst your fellow players.

 

[MaggieD]

Yesterday, on the 15th hole at the Masters, Tiger Woods broke the rules related to his drop after his third shot went into the water. Initially, the rules committee let him off but then, after hearing his interviews with the media in which Woods described what he did and unknowingly admitted he broke the rules, the rules committee decided to have a nother hearing about it this morning.

The rules committee this morning let Tiger Woods off easy and instead of disqualifying him from the tournament, assigned him a 2 stroke penalty and is letting him continue to play.

Many people are disgusted by the favoritism shown Woods, particularly considering the harshness with which the 14yr old Chinese phenom was penalized a stroke for taking 10 seconds too long to take a shot - a penalty that has never been assigned to any golfer in the Masters in the history of the tournament even though a usual round in the Masters takes over 6 hours. This Woods ruling stinks of the TV networks involvement, demanding that Woods be allowed to continue play because he's the biggest TV draw.

In my view, the only way Woods survives this and comes out looking good is if he ignores the rules committee and withdraws from the tournament since the rules would normally result in any other golfer being disqualified. If Woods stays in the tournament, nothing he does will be legitimate and if he should win, it would be a travesty.

I'd be interested in what other people think.

I think the Rules of Golf should be strictly adhered to. If what he did calls for him to be disqualified, then he should have been disqualified. The course judge who let him off the first time should be disqualified. Ha!

I felt bad for that 14-year-old that was penalized for taking 10 seconds too long on a shot after having been warned. Even other golfers felt bad for him talking about the indecisions golfers were having about which club to use in light of the wind and its changing directions. Yet penalize him they did. And I agree with it. Because that's the rule of golf.

If the rules called for him to be disqualified and they somehow didn't enforce that rule? That's just unacceptable.

 

[nota bene]

From the NY Times:

David Duval, a former world No. 1, wrote on Twitter: “I think he should withdraw. He took a drop to gain an advantage.”

Others agreed with the decision. Graeme McDowell, the 2010 United States Open champion, wrote: “Take the fact that it was Tiger out of the equation and it is a fair ruling. Since it is him, the debate begins about TV ratings, etc., etc.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/sports/golf/woods-faces-disqualification-at-augusta.html?_r=1&

 

[MaggieD]

It's not a matter of being harsh, it's a matter of golf's history with applying the rules without exception or "mercy". There are dozens of examples of this "harsh" treatment over the years. What's crazy is that the rules committee contorted themselves in order to keep Woods in the tournament.

Remember that golfer who won a championship and was disqualified because he signed his card with an incorrect and higher total on one of the holes? (That higher score still took the tournament.) Golf has always had integrity. I hope they're not losing it.

 

[nota bene]

If the rules don't apply equally--if exceptions are made with an eye on potential revenue--then integrity scores a bogey.

 

[Chaddelamancha]

If they had ruled properly, it wouldn't be an issue. He would have signed his card with the two stroke penalty. The committee ruled that there was no penalty, so he did sign a correct scorecard. It wasn't until after his round that they assessed the penalty. This is why Rule 33 is in place. There is no loss of honor, he followed the rules and was still penalized.

So, clearly, they didn't rule properly in the first instance and had to revisit the issue later. The fact remains that Woods is required to know all the rules of golf and of the golf course and even if he unknowingly signed his card with the wrong score on it for the 15th hole, he should suffer the consequences of that error. Golf relies on the honor of the player, true sportsmanship that requires the player to accept and penalize himself for his errors even if they were inadvertent. To do otherwise is to lose honor amongst your fellow players.

I think the Rules of Golf should be strictly adhered to. If what he did calls for him to be disqualified, then he should have been disqualified. The course judge who let him off the first time should be disqualified. Ha!

I felt bad for that 14-year-old that was penalized for taking 10 seconds too long on a shot after having been warned. Even other golfers felt bad for him talking about the indecisions golfers were having about which club to use in light of the wind and its changing directions. Yet penalize him they did. And I agree with it. Because that's the rule of golf.

If the rules called for him to be disqualified and they somehow didn't enforce that rule? That's just unacceptable.

He did follow the rules. Plain and simple.

Remember that golfer who won a championship and was disqualified because he signed his card with an incorrect and higher total on one of the holes? (That higher score still took the tournament.) Golf has always had integrity. I hope they're not losing it.

There is no loss in integrity here. The committee initially ruled it a legal drop. So at the end of his round, as far as everyone on the course was concerned, he signed the correct scorecard. Take Tiger out of this equation and it isn't an issue.

 

[CanadaJohn]

If the rules don't apply equally--if exceptions are made with an eye on potential revenue--then integrity scores a bogey.

I'm not asserting that this actually happened here - there's no way of knowing - no one can doubt, however, that disqualifying Tiger Woods from the Masters would have been HUGE. Woods loses on this no matter what, but my point is that honor and integrity requires that he withdraw from the tournament so that he isn't harmed beyond today.

 

[Lutherf]

If the rules don't apply equally--if exceptions are made with an eye on potential revenue--then integrity scores a bogey.

Who's saying the rules don't apply equally?

You guys are basing you anger on a mere supposition that another player would have received different treatment under the same circumstances. Show us where the DQ for the same or similar thing has happened.

It sounds to me like you haters are actually the ones applying a different standard to Tiger than you do to other players.