Opinion & Analysis
What’s Tiger’s story and do we believe it?
A day after being assessed a two-stroke penalty for hitting a ball which he caused to move, Tiger Woods gutted out a five-under-par 66 in the third round of the BMW Championship. With a birdie on the final hole, Woods moved within four shots of leader Jim Furyk.
Despite his strong play, the penalty still smoldered for the world’s No. 1 golfer on Saturday, however.
“After seeing the video I thought the ball just oscillated,” Woods said about his meeting with rules officials after his second round. “I thought that was the end of story. But they saw otherwise.”
Any examination of whether Tiger’s comments about the rules infraction are believable involves the matter of Woods’ golf ball revolving, or oscillating, which is defined, in part, as “to move in one direction and then back again.”
Woods used the term multiple times in conveying his belief about what happened on the first hole Friday.
“I moved the pine cone right behind my ball,” he said. “I feel like the ball oscillated, and I just left it.”
Rules official Slugger White and company maintained that the ball changed positions, in addition to rotating or oscillating, thus violating rule 18-2. So since Woods didn’t replace the ball to its original position before he played his shot, he incurred a two-shot penalty — an 8 on No. 1 in Round 2 instead of a double-bogey 6.
Do we believe Tiger’s defense, that he thought the ball oscillated but didn’t move? Or is there a possibility that Tiger realized the ball moved, but didn’t think anyone saw it and elected to play on. After all, it took the work of a heads up freelance videographer to catch Woods’ infraction. But there’s no possibility of proving or disproving Woods’ intent.
Watching the video, Woods’ ball clearly moves in some fashion, as can be determined from a couple of reference points. It’s unclear (with respect to the directions in the video) whether the officials felt the ball moved left, right, forward, or back. It’s unclear, too, what Tiger’s understanding of oscillation is.
In the USGA’s Decisions text, the following is presented:
Q. In addressing the ball, a player accidentally causes the ball to oscillate, but it returns to its original position. Has the ball “moved”?
A. No.
For Woods’ ball to not have “moved,” it must have oscillated back into the same position it occupied previously, which it clearly did not.
It seems more plausible that if Woods knowingly tried to cheat, he’d feign surprise when seeing the video, agreeing with the conclusions of the rules officials. Because really, there wasn’t a debate to be had; the officials were merely informing the golfer of their decision and showing how they arrived at their conclusion. But Tiger certainly seemed to believe the story he was telling.
Whether you think Tiger attempted to cheat or that he just didn’t see the movement of the golf ball, one thing is clear. After three sloppy penalties in 2013 — in Abu Dhabi (an incorrect drop that led to a two-stroke penalty), at the Masters (where he was penalized again for taking an incorrect drop) and at the BMW Championship — a little rule book coaching might come in handy in addition to the work he puts into his swing.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle
Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.
Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.
The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.
Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions.
Past Winners at Harbour Town
- 2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
- 2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
- 2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
- 2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
- 2019: CT Pan (-12)
- 2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
- 2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
- 2016: Branden Grace (-9)
- 2015: Jim Furyk (-18)
In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).
Key Stats For Harbour Town
Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.
Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
- Tom Hoge (+1.27)
- Corey Conners (+1.16)
- Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
- Cameron Young (+0.93)
Good Drive %
The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.
Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds
- Brice Garnett (88.8%)
- Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
- Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
- Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
- Sepp Straka (+85.1%)
Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs
Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.
SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:
- Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
- Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
- Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
- Brian Harman (+1.89)
- Sungjae Im (+1.58)
4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)
Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.
SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds
- Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
- Taylor Moore (+1.02)
- Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
- Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
- Andrew Putnam (+0.83)
5. Greens in Regulation %
The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.
Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:
- Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
- Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
- Corey Conners (+69.0%)
- Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
- Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)
6. Course History
Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up.
Course History over past 24 rounds:
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
- Cam Davis (+2.05)
- J.T. Poston (+1.69)
- Justin Rose (+1.68)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+1.59)
The RBC Heritage Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)
- Shane Lowry
- Russell Henley
- Scottie Scheffler
- Xander Schauffele
- Corey Conners
- Wyndham Clark
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout
- Matt Fitzpatrick
- Cameron Young
- Ludvig Aberg
2024 RBC Heritage Picks
Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)
With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.
Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).
Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.
Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)
I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past. In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.
The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.
Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)
Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.
Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.
Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)
Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.
In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.
Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.
Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)
When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.
Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks.
Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.
Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)
This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at.
Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.
Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.
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The 2024 Masters offered up plenty of excitement throughout the week with Scottie Scheffler delivering when it mattered to live up to his pre-tournament favorite tag. With the year’s opening major now in the books, here are my six biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters.
Scheffler In a League of His Own
In the most impressive way possible, Scottie Scheffler won the Masters without having his absolute best stuff. For the week, Scottie ranked 19th in Strokes Gained: Approach, which is a category the number player in the world typically dusts the rest of the field in. After a strong approach day on Thursday, the 27-year-old lost strokes to the field on approach on Friday and Saturday, before gaining on Sunday. The iron performance was more than solid, but it was an all-around game that helped Scheffler get it done around Augusta National.
For a year or more, the narrative around Scheffler has been, “With his ball striking, if he can just putt to field average, he’ll be unbeatable.” At Augusta, his ball striking came back down to earth, but his touch around the greens and ability to manage the golf course demonstrated why he is the best player on the planet right now. For the week, Scheffler ranked 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 24th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
For the time being, there is a major gap between Scottie Scheffler and the second-best player in the world, whoever that may be.
The Future is Now
Ludvig Aberg went into his first back-nine at the Masters with a legitimate shot to win the tournament. When he teed it up on the treacherous 11th hole, he was one behind Scottie Scheffler, who had just stuck one to a few feet on the 9th. By the time he approached his tee shot, which was perfectly striped down the left side of the fairway, he was two behind. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old got too aggressive with his approach at the 11th and found the water, making double bogey. Ludvig rebounded nicely and finished the event in solo second place.
With the Masters now in the rearview, it’s never been more evident that Ludvig Aberg is no longer an “up-and-comer” — he has arrived. The Swede has been an integral part of a winning European Ryder Cup team and has now contended at Augusta National. With a calm demeanor, a picture-perfect swing, and a build and stature that appears as if it was built in a lab, Ludvig Aberg is already amongst the world’s best. I’d be extremely surprised if he wasn’t in the mix at next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Nostalgia Wins
I try to avoid as many cliches as possible, but there’s something about the Masters that brings out the sentimentality in me. Tiger Woods strategically making his way around Augusta National without all of the physical tools that made him arguably the most dominant athlete in the history of sports will always be riveting, regardless of what score he shoots. Woods made it interesting until a tough stretch of holes on Saturday, but he ultimately wore down, shooting 16 over for the week in difficult conditions. It’s remarkable that the 15-time major champion was able to put together a few solid rounds of golf despite barely playing any competitive golf in 2024. As long as Woods tees it up at Augusta, we will all continue to be mesmerized by it.
Verne Lundquist’s 40th and final Masters Tournament was also a must-watch aspect of the event. The iconic voice of Lundquist and his calls throughout the years still give me chills each time I hear them. Verne is an icon of the game and will be missed in future renditions of the Masters.
The Masters also brings another element that is unique to the tournament. Former champions turn back the clock to battle with the golf course again which creates some amazing stories. There are a few that stick out this year and were an absolute pleasure to witness. 61-year-old Vijay Singh made the cut for the first time since 2018 and shot a pretty incredible even-par, 72 on Sunday. 58-year-old José María Olazábal made the cut as well, reminding us why fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm sought his valuable advice prior to his Masters victory in 2022.
Regardless of who wins, the Masters always delivers.
Bryson Moves the Needle
Plenty will disagree with me on this point, but outside of Tiger Woods, and potentially Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, no one moves the needle in golf as much as Bryson DeChambeau. The uniqueness in which Bryson approaches the game has always been fascinating, and if he gets near the top of the leaderboard at any major championship, whether it’s to root for him or against him, people are interested.
It began on Monday with a pretty bizarre story of DeChambeau using 3D-printed irons that got just got cleared for use by the USGA when the week began. It once again felt like a storyline that would only be possible with a character as eccentric as Bryson. He then raced off to a first-round lead in tough conditions, reminding the world of what made him such a great golfer to begin with. He made some mistakes on the weekend, but still finished a career best T6 at The Masters.
Bryson is more than just quirky; he is a former U.S. Amateur Champion and U.S. Open who I believe will contend for more majors in the future. I will continue to root for DeChambeau, but I’m perfectly content with the fact that plenty will root against him, and I encourage those people to do so. That’s what makes it fun.
LIV Walks Away Empty-Handed
Last year, there were a multitude of questions about LIV players coming into the year’s first major. They had played very limited tournament golf, and critics of LIV questioned whether the 54-hole events were enough to sharpen the players enough to compete against the best in the world on the biggest stage.
The results were fascinating, with LIV players all over the leaderboard. Brooks Koepka held the 36- and 54-hole lead, with Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed finishing T2 and T4, giving LIV three golfers in the top-4 of the leaderboard.
This season, with even more time removed and with some more massive additions to the roster, the intrigue surrounding LIV players at Augusta was once again palpable. While some players, including Bryson DeChambeau, exceeded expectations, I can’t help but walk away from the Masters feeling underwhelmed by the performance of the LIV players.
Brooks Koepka finished runner-up last season and is a certified major championship killer. The 5-time major champ was never involved and simply didn’t have it at Augusta. Dustin Johnson put together a putrid performance, shooting 13 over for his two rounds, making it fair to wonder if his days of contending at major championships are over as he rapidly approaches his 40th birthday.
Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann were both players who were amongst the favorites this week, but Rahm was faced with the daunting duties of defending champion and Niemann proved he was still not quite ready to master the quirks of Augusta National, bleeding strokes both around and on the greens.
To be fair, when all was said and done, LIV had four players in the top twelve at The Masters. Tyrrell Hatton stormed the leaderboard early on Sunday, finishing T9 and earning himself an invite back to Augusta next season. Cam Smith and Patrick Reed put together gritty performances, which isn’t too surprising considering the fact that they both absolutely love Augusta National, but neither ever felt a real threat to win. There’s no doubt the players on LIV are good, and that’s why some encouraging leaderboard positions aren’t enough. They needed to contend.
With no players part of the storyline on Sunday, I view the first major of the year as a disappointment for LIV. The players will head into next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla with a lot to prove.
Rory’s Struggles Continues
Rory struggling at Augusta National is no surprise at this point. The four-time major champion has now had 10 attempts to complete the career grand slam and has never had a chance to win. His T2 in 2022 was deceiving, the Northern Irishman stormed the leaderboard on Sunday, but was never in contention, and never got within three shots of the winner, Scottie Scheffler.
I didn’t expect Rory to win, but I have to admit that this year felt a bit different. McIlroy played the week prior to the Masters, which he typically doesn’t do, and finished third at the Valero Texas Open. He gained 7.56 strokes on approach and 2.0 strokes off the tee, which told me that his visit with world-renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, after the Players Championship paid dividends.
McIlroy also approached the media quite differently. He cut his pre-tournament press conference short after only 10 minutes and seemed to be laser-focused on just playing golf.
Despite the different approach to the Masters, the results were the same. McIlroy struggled over the course of the week, finishing T22 (+4) and never sniffed a decent weekend position on the leaderboard. It’s back to the drawing board for McIlroy, and I have doubts that he will ever figure it out at Augusta.
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We’ve finally reached The Masters and excitement is at an all-time high. The world of golf has been fractured for the better part of two years, but for a week at Augusta National, all of the outside noise will disappear. All of the best players in the world will be together seeking to make history.
In addition to betting on The Masters champion. This is one of the few weeks of the year where there are so many more markets to explore, with value to be had in plenty of different categories.
Throughout this article, I’ll discuss all of my favorite props and players for the 2024 Masters.
Placement Bets:
Tony Finau Top 5 +750 (DraftKings):
I badly wanted to include Tony Finau in my outright betting selections, but I simply ran out of room on my card. Additionally, it’s slightly difficult to see him hitting the putts necessary to win the Masters on back nine on Sunday. However, I do strongly believe he will play great golf this week at Augusta National.
In his past 24 rounds, Finau ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Approach is always amongst the best drivers of the golf ball in the game. Back in 2019, Finau had a great chance to win The Masters. I expect him to be hanging around over the weekend once again in 2024.
Gary Woodland Top 20 +550 (DraftKings), Gary Woodland to make the cut -110 (DraftKings):
Last season, Gary Woodland had his best ever finish at The Masters in his eleven tries. The 39-year-old finished T14 and played incredibly steady across all four rounds.
In Woodland’s most recent start at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, he struck the ball incredibly well. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (+8.8) and Strokes Gained: Ball Striking (+10.0).
Gary has been working with Butch Harmon and absolutely flushing the ball both in tournaments and during practice.
Woodland appears to be healthy once again and in a great place physically and mentally. If he can build off his impressive performance at Augusta last year, he can place inside the top ten in 2024.
Additionally, the make the cut number on Woodland seems generous considering the number of players who miss the cut will be relatively small this week. Woodland is striking it well enough to make the cut even if he’s hindered by a balky putter once again.
Thorbjorn Olesen Top 20 +400 (FanDuel):
The Thunder Bear, Thorbjorn Olesen, made his Masters debut in 2013 and finished an incredibly impressive T6 for the week. In the two additional starts he’s made at Augusta National since then, the Dane has continued to be incredibly solid, finishing T44 and T21.
This week, Olesen heads into the week playing some good golf. He gained 3.8 strokes on approach and 5.52 strokes around the green at last week’s Valero Texas Open on his way to a strong T14 finish. Back in January, he won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on the DP World Tour.
Olesen has the skill set to be successful at Augusta and seems primed for a good performance this week.
Top Nationalities:
Sergio Garcia Top Spanish Player +280 (DraftKings):
I believe Sergio Garcia can get into contention this week with the way he’s striking the ball in addition to his good vibes with a refurbished version of the Scotty Cameron that he used at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.
I am slightly concerned about the emotional letdown he may face after losing in a playoff at LIV Miami, but I believe a veteran and former Masters champion should be able to regroup and focus on an event far more meaningful.
This is essentially a tournament head-to-head with Jon Rahm at +280. While Rahm deserves to be respected this week, the history of the lack of success of defending champions at The Masters is difficult to ignore.
Joaquin Niemann Top South American Player -230 (FanDuel):
While I hate paying this much juice, I don’t see a world in which Joaquin Niemann isn’t the top South American this week at The Masters. Joaco comes in playing better golf than anyone in the world not named Scottie Scheffler and has a serious chance to win the green jacket.
He only needs to beat two players: Emiliano Grillo and Camilo Villegas.
Tournament Head-to-Heads:
Justin Thomas -110 over Collin Morikawa
JT isn’t having his best season but is playing a lot better than he is getting credit for at the moment. In the past three months, there are only six players on the PGA Tour who have averaged 1.7 Strokes Gained: Tee to Green or better. Justin Thomas (+1.7) is one of the six and is currently tied with Rory McIlroy (+1.7).
Morikawa, on the other hand, has been extremely poor with his irons, which is incredibly uncharacteristic for him. I can’t help but feel like something is completely off with the two-time major champion.
Tony Finau -110 over Wyndham Clark
I explained in the placement section why I’m so high on Tony Finau this week. With how well he’s striking the ball, it seems as if his floor is extremely high. I’m not sure if he can make the putts to win a green jacket but I believe he will be in the mix similarly to 2019 when Tiger Woods emerged from a crowded pack of contenders.
Clark is a debutant, and while some debutants have had success at The Masters, it certainly poses a challenge. I also don’t believe Augusta National suits Clark as well as some of the other major championship venues.
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Max Homa WITB 2024 (April)
Max Homa what’s in the bag accurate as of the Masters. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, D1 SureFit setting) Shaft:...
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Driver: Krank Formula Fire Pro (6 degrees) Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75g 6.5 Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver...
Scottie Scheffler’s winning WITB: 2024 Masters
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (8 degrees @8.25) Buy here. Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (45 inches) 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Buy...
WITB Time Machine: Danny Willett’s winning WITB, 2016 Masters
Driver: Callaway XR 16 (9 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 60 X Length: 45.5 inches 3-wood: Callaway XR 16 (15 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi...
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Zeke
Oct 2, 2013 at 5:39 pm
I don’t remember Jack being caught trying to “cheat” the rest of the field. One can plainly see that the ball changed position. His eye surgery wasn’t very good if he can’t see it. I can understand not seeing it from above. Tough angle. But on the video, he had to be able to see it.
Also, if Tiger doesn’t know the most basic rules, he shouldn’t be playing. Tried to get away with it, not once, but twice, it appears. Should have been DQ’d at the Masters. Any other player would have.
RB
Sep 24, 2013 at 12:59 pm
I agree with Shankerton. Everyone and his grandma knows this is a penalty and everyone and his grandma knows Tiger tried to cheat and get away with it. End of story.
Martin
Sep 25, 2013 at 8:25 am
There are numerous examples of players on tour who felt there is a ruling dispute and call the referee in time of evidence. So TW should have done it at the moment of ” oscillation” and not later on. I love to see all golfers be accurate no difference if they got ta,ped on video or not. Pros are experts in ruling.
Eric
Sep 24, 2013 at 12:48 pm
Tiger is not close to my favourite golfer, but here’s my take. From his vantage point, he thought the ball oscillated. When he saw the video, he knew the ball moved, but was pissed off and stuck to his story to save face or make a point. If every tour player was scrutinized to the same degree as Tiger, with blown up video from the perfect vantage point, every one of them would be a cheater (most unknowingly), including Jack, Arnold, Trevino, Jones, etc. This said, I have yet to see Tiger call a penalty on himself…
I’d like to see all video evidence removed from the game, unless it’s a major network. If you ask the tour players of the past who they thought bent the rules the most, you’d see a smile on their face, but they wouldn’t tell you. I think these golfers know when they’ve cheated and I can’t imagine they finshish the round well with it hanging over their head. Eventually everyone gets cought by a peer…
Judd
Sep 23, 2013 at 7:31 pm
My experience working with individuals that are punished for wrong doing, when they get loud they are guilty. It just seems to me that Tiger has had several situations this year that reveal he hasn’t really changed.
If a man will cheat on his wife and children, he will cheat on golf. Media scrutiny isn’t his problem. He makes millions of dollars a year in endorsements because of media attention. He should have been dq’d at the Masters and I imagine the reason he played so poorly this week is the fallout he was getting in the locker room for “oscillation-gate”.
Jeannot
Sep 24, 2013 at 2:16 am
Sorry. I have cheated on 2 wives, but never at golf, at least intentionally. And I think that many of the rules are ridiculous.
If there must be rules, keep them simple (e.g., lift, clean and place is always acceptable, or play the ball as it lies with no exceptions – no removing of “loose impediments”). The advantage gained by golfers on the PGA tour as a result of hitting grandstands and spectators or landing on trampled ground are benefits that most of us never get the opportunity to enjoy.
3sip
Sep 23, 2013 at 3:32 pm
we have all hit a shot in the junk and as you stand over your ball you think should I move that cone twig leaf ect to get a better lie our Leave it alone. if you move said branch leaf twig cone ect and the ball moves you get a penalty weather it improves your lie our not. the fact that you try to move a loose impediment and it causes your ball to move you have incurred a penalty stroke. maybe it oscillates but you point out so that you make sure your playing partners know and you don’t get called a cheater or not knowing the rules. ” hey I moved this stick and my ball oscillated.” the fact that he stopped moving the impediment as soon as the ball moves meaned he saw it move. period. ” hey I moved this stick and my ball moved/oscillated” – that’s the gamble with moving stuff near your ball. I’m a horrible golfer according to wrx standards and I know this rule , you tell me tiger does not know this rule better than me
Shankerton
Sep 23, 2013 at 9:12 am
Every hack that shoots a 107 on chop Sunday knows thats a penalty, golf 101 ladies. Tiger lovers are hilarious.
Bart
Sep 18, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Tony, no it’s not you mate, it’s Johnny Miller, why the network keeps bringing him back with his vast array of stupid and sometimes just plain
ignorant comments will have to stay a mystery I s’pose, really, is he the best they can do? I don’t think so, time to put out to pasture where he belongs.
Gordon
Sep 18, 2013 at 2:32 pm
He did not try to cheat. He did exactly what every honest golfer does. He carefully tested the loose impediment and returned the impediment when the ball began to move. From Tiger’s perspective the ball staying in the original position, when in fact if dropped a tad lower, appearing to oscillate. Sometimes I’m embarrassed by my fellow golfers, so self righteous and hateful.
JDF
Sep 18, 2013 at 1:38 pm
This makes me believe that all golfers should hone their skills playing pick-up-sticks.
Haters are going to hate, and those that like Tiger are going to defend him. No one offering their opinion was there, in Tiger’s exact situation to be able to make the call. Get over it. Worry about you and your own game/antics/ethics. Life goes on.
Steve
Sep 18, 2013 at 1:13 am
For what it’s worth, they were asking other players about this and:
A) Dustin Johnson said he watched the video like 5 times and still didn’t think it moved
B) A couple (including Stricker and Watney) agreed that it wasn’t fair to have viewers make these calls
James
Sep 16, 2013 at 5:54 pm
Some golf rules are a stupid and to expect someone to be able to determine if a ball “moved” is a tough one. He moved something the ball did its thing and he backed off. He would have moved the stick then the ball would have moved…so….. once again some golf rules are stupid…
1) Hitting out of a divot?
2) What happen to Justin Rose….dumb
Just two, but there are plently more.
RCM1301
Sep 16, 2013 at 2:53 pm
Once a cheater, always a cheater. Being it in the bedroom with the wife or on the golf course. Tiger is a cheater.
erock
Sep 16, 2013 at 3:58 pm
I am happy for some that have lead a life without ever having made a mistake. But not everyone has that luxury, and for the rest of us we would like to think that we can apologize and work hard at being a better person and that people will forgive us. Tiger has made a lot of strides towards bettering himself and his relationships. It’s a shame that someone has no other opinion than “once a cheater, always a cheater”.
RCM1301
Sep 17, 2013 at 9:00 am
Clearly his ‘bettering himself’ didn’t work Friday, beacause, if what you say is true, he would have accepted the mistake, apologize and move on. Instead he tried to defend his action, thereby making it an issue and showing his inherit characteristic as a cheater in all forms of life.
erock
Sep 17, 2013 at 9:31 am
It’s one thing to admit fault when there is one (i.e. his extracurricular activities while married), it’s an entirely different situation to admit fault when you feel that you have done nothing wrong. There is a distinct difference between humility and weakness. If we know anything about Tiger it’s that he is historically been the most mentally tough golfer to ever play. I think Earl Woods would roll over in his grave if Tiger admited fault when he truly believes he did nothing wrong. That’s not the kind of weakness the son of a Green Beret shows and it sure isn’t how he raised him! Tiger took his medicine, accepted the ruling and ended up having a good showing on the weekend. Not sure what else people expect from him.
erock
Sep 16, 2013 at 1:19 pm
What I find interesting about this situation, even more so than Dubai and Augusta, is that he had just a couple of minutes to assess the situation, determine what he perceived to be the correct ruling and continue play. The media/golf fans, however, have had days to watch and re-watch the tape and to be critical of his decision. Had this been any other player in the tournament or any other athlete in the world this would be a non-issue, he would have taken the penalty and moved on if that is what the situation waranted. Sports media has taken such a “guilty until proven innocent” attitude that it is so difficult for someone like Tiger to change the general perception of himself to the casual fan.
Paul
Sep 16, 2013 at 10:48 am
How is the game supposed to attract new people with piddly crap like this, an embarrassing waste of time. Most people not into golf already hold a negative view of the game and people who play it (thanks Tiger, as if my girlfriend didn’t already have enough reasons to hate golf), this “infraction” only adds to the skepticism. If you need 10x zoom to see the movement of the ball, i’ll go out on a limb and say that the movement absolutely and unequivocally will not effect your play one way or the other. At least make it a half inch maximum unintentional movement in any direction, something slightly less ridiculous like that. EVERYONE has come up to their ball and accidentally nudged it with their club at address or on a practice swing, and no one can actually believe that it warrants a one or two stroke penalty. Football is constantly updating its rule book to make the game better. Even the most traditional game of all, baseball, has started doing video review. Golf needs more then a few updates to make the game more accessible and enjoyable, something besides the insignificant anchored putter rule change. Thanks PGA and R&A, now my grandpa has to jack-up his 85 year old spine using a conventional putter, and he gets a two stroke penalty every time he taps the ball at addresses with his shaky old hands. GENIUS!
ElwoodBlues
Sep 16, 2013 at 10:47 am
I think this says a lot about Tiger Wood’s integrity and his personality in general.
Do you remember that scene from ‘The Legend of Bagger Vance’? Search for ‘bagger vance penalty stroke’ on Youtube. That is the way I would like to win a tournament.
RCM1301
Sep 16, 2013 at 2:59 pm
Or even loose it. That’s why old school like Bobby Jones is superior to cheaters like Tiger Woods.
ElwoodBlues
Sep 16, 2013 at 3:46 pm
Absolutely. If I would win a tournament by not calling a penalty on myself it definitely wouldn’t feel like a win. At least I would now that it was not fair. That is fictional Rannulph Junuh’s argument in ”The Legend of Bagger Vance’. Obviously, Tiger decided that he doesn’t care how he wins. Tiger Woods has been so successful. He needs to win neither the BMW Championship nor the FedEx Cup 2013 to prove that he is one of the best golfers of all time. And with this context he should stand to the rules even more to show true greatness.
Pablo
Sep 16, 2013 at 10:30 am
Here’s what I think: Tiger saw the ball move but probably thought it moved back, as he said. If you watch the video though, it rolled to the side AND dipped down, then sort of turned back but obviously didn’t rise back up. It’s not conclusive, but that could almost support Tiger’s account. He wouldn’t notice the ball settling down less than 1/4 of an inch (probably even less than that). So basically this happened because cameras are always on Tiger (even if it’s a freelance ESPN guy) and a zoomed-in camera has a better perspective than the golfer (Tiger in this case) does since the ball moved mostly downward (not as much side-to-side). Is it unfortunate? Yes, but it happened and Tiger couldn’t dispute it. But he moved on (for the most part) and is still in contention tomorrow – so why can’t everyone coming out of the woodworks move on also?
Mitch Cumstein
Sep 18, 2013 at 12:50 pm
All Tiger had to do after watching the video, was admit it moved and the story is over. Anyone who thinks the ball merely “oscillated” after viewing the video is delusional.
Elin
Sep 16, 2013 at 10:15 am
“In no way is Tiger Woods a “cheater”. I strongly disagree.
Payton
Sep 16, 2013 at 12:32 am
In no way is Tiger woods a “cheater” he is one of the greatest to play this game if not the greatest. Tiger would never not call a penalty on himself when fit. Most of you are uneducated about the subject and don’t know all the facts/rulings of the situation so don’t be quick to judge. I back Tiger on his opinion.
Callyboy79
Sep 16, 2013 at 8:00 am
Are there any instances of Tiger actually calling a penalty on himself?
Also was ther not a questionable drop after hitting into a water hazard a few tournaments ago?
Dave
Sep 16, 2013 at 9:19 am
Your joking right? Tiger in his career has called a TON of penalties on himself.
Get out of here unless you know what your talking about.
RCM1301
Sep 16, 2013 at 3:02 pm
Name a few of the TON.
R
Sep 15, 2013 at 12:57 pm
Honestly, I don’t think cheating is entirely a fair word. The ball moving basically a millimeter didn’t seem to give him an advantage at all over the field. Generally speaking, cheating involves gaining a HUGE advantage, and usually comes hand in hand with success. Note that he still got a double bogey on the hole. I don’t think cheating is the right word. If the ball genuinely moved, which it did, would Tiger really not move it back the millimeter forward that it did? It really didn’t make a difference, which is why I think Tiger didn’t “cheat”.
Rich
Sep 15, 2013 at 7:54 pm
You’re joking right? Cheating means you break the rules. It doesn’t mean you have to be successful by doing it or gain an advantage. It means you break the rules. So how much does the ball have to move for you before it’s deemed to be an advantage? It’s black and white. The ball moved, it’s a rules infraction. It’s pretty simple. I’m with MWP, rules are rules. If you break them, you pay the penalty. If you don’t like it, DON’T PLAY GOLF!
Hunterdog
Sep 15, 2013 at 9:59 pm
Is it your opinion that every infraction of the rules is “cheating”?
Jack
Sep 16, 2013 at 4:53 am
rule infractions are not cheating, breaking them and not reporting them is. BTW the standard is so different from other sports. In the NFL or NBA for example, it’s always if you’re not caught, then it’s not breaking the rules. If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying hard enough. In golf, if the ball moves 1mm, and you don’t try to put the ball back, you get penalized. What’s funny is if Tiger had tried to put it back, he would have better his ball position probably and only been docked 1 stroke. Guess it pays to be honest after all!
Rich
Sep 24, 2013 at 6:14 pm
You’re right. Not all rules infractions constitute cheating. Fair comment. Tiger confirmed he saw the ball move but claimed it was oscillating. That’s just a bunch of hooey. He knew it moved (how could you not!) and was trying to get away with it. Now that’s cheating.
Fred
Sep 18, 2013 at 5:07 pm
But the ball didn’t move enough to give Tiger an advantage, which was obviously by the video and the resulting shot. He could have left the stick untouched and gotten the same result.
MWP
Sep 15, 2013 at 12:26 pm
THE ONLY THING IM LEARNING from this thread is that I wouldn’t want to play golf with about 95% of you people.
Know the rules, follow the rules, and accept the consequences when you break them.
Barry
Sep 15, 2013 at 11:18 am
If he did think the ball oscilated-would 99% of golfers not inform their playing partner or call for a ref?I would inform my playing partners and I’m not playing for 10 million on the pga tour,I’m playing for a 30 euro butcher voucher here in Ireland!I think this brings his honour and integrity into question unfortunatly.I love Tiger-my fave player-but this stinks,he should have asked for a ruling and cleared it up there and then.
Jack
Sep 16, 2013 at 4:50 am
Tiger’s called plenty of violations on himself. He just didn’t think that was a violation. Yeah, it moved like 1 mm. It was a violation. If I was playing a recreational round I would not have called it on myself LOL. Call my integrity into question. Obviously, he is playing pro tournament golf, in which I would call it. But seriously it’s not like he kicked it out from the trees. And his viewing angle is different from the camera as well. It’s hard to tell how it moved without instant replay, but he got his penalty, play on!
Coy
Sep 15, 2013 at 9:15 am
The ball obviously moved but I’m sure in the heat of the moment he didn’t noticed the movement. It did “seem” to oscillate but the movement was very minimal and he just probably didn’t see it. But after seeing the video he should of just admitted the ball moved, and moved on. Still love to watch Tiger but he needs to admit his mistakes.
Kevin
Sep 15, 2013 at 8:07 am
He should take a lesson from Bobby Jones. Bobby would see movement and call the penalty on himself. Sportsmanship!
Jeff Allen
Sep 16, 2013 at 12:08 am
Bobby Jones, 1925 U.S open. Case closed
reqq
Sep 15, 2013 at 6:34 am
wonder what the rules say if the ball oscillate and rotates around its own axis? Because didnt the rules official use that black mark to prove the ball moved?
matt
Sep 15, 2013 at 4:55 am
I get that the rule states if the ball moves its a penalty. But I also think that the rule was put there to keep golfers from improving their lie, which the ball moving did not do. The ball rolling over a millimeter only being seen by the logo barely moving really cant be classified as lie improvement. I also think that outside cameras should not be able to justify a penalty, I think its up to the players (honesty, not saying tiger didn’t know) and the rules officials. Just my thoughts, but from where the ball was and the way the ball was sitting it would be hard for a player to call a penalty on themselves when they are not sure if the ball actually moved.
David McCuiston
Sep 15, 2013 at 3:28 am
I think he probably cheated. Would like to see the video. Though, when your ball moves a millimeter and you have no idea how to even place it back where it was…so that there is really no consequence? Well that is more when addressing the ball…moving a twig and the ball moves that’s hard to get around. I guess you just take the penalty and say it’s basically in the same spot…or call a rules official over.
He has put too much pressure on himself I think. He used to will putts in, and win like a demigod. I think hubris has destroyed him. Life and golf is trying to teach him humility, but he refuses to learn the lesson.
He would gain so much in calling a penalty on himself. Seriously, especially if he was in contention, and it was something he might get away with, it would go so far. If it was in a major? He might turn around his reputation. As it is if he pulls out a few majors on his courses, like Pebble Beach and approaches the record as things are now…He is a jerk. Such an opportunity lost! He’s a bit of a lost soul at this point it seems. As a viewer it is much more entertaining to see him struggle and be human…and when he does win, at least everyone isn’t collapsing around him. If he does turn things around great, would like to see him learn from his mistakes. I’m not sure it is in him, though he does show some honesty and humility at times when talking about this golf.
Scotty B
Sep 16, 2013 at 11:41 am
You haven’t seen the video? So how can you make an informed opinion?? It’s obvious by your comments, that you don’t want to speak to the issue, but would rather foster you own morals views onto Tiger and the rest of us.
So tired of you select few who obviously never make mistakes in your life and then have to attone for them (sarcasm in case you missed it). Unless you’re a personal friend of Tiger, or in his family, or had your life personally affected by Tiger’s actions; shutup already.
john
Sep 15, 2013 at 2:32 am
wow the ball moved a 1/10 of a centimeter, what an advantage that gave him…
jtopher
Sep 15, 2013 at 3:01 am
Well actually the advantage he gets is moving what’s in the way. if you can’t do that without the ball moving then YES it is an advantage.
Dan
Sep 15, 2013 at 4:20 am
Well, actually, he didn’t end up moving the twig, so it stayed in the way and he just hit through it. He gained NO advantage from his efforts to move the debris around his ball. Sometimes you can move debris that is touching your ball without the ball moving and sometimes you can’t, but I don’t really see a problem with someone very gently moving the debris, next to their ball, to ascertain if the ball will move or not and the ball shows miniscule signs of movement, but effectively stays in position.
It appeared to me that he just lightly touched the stick, to ascertain this and noticed some minuscule movement, which he genuinely believed to be ‘oscillation’ and realised that he’d better just leave the stick there.
We ALL try to gain an advantage in certain situations: Moving stones in bunkers, brushing grass cuttings or sand away on the green, moving any debris next to our ball or on our swing path.
The ruling has been made and he’s accepted it, in annoyance yes, but he’s accepted it.
Dave
Sep 17, 2013 at 5:07 am
Where do you suggest we draw the line? 1″ or maybe 1′ ? The rules have lines that have to be drawn somewhere, inevitably there will be a liner. Or a situation that doesn’t seem fair, but that’s the rule. You can’t move your ball, or if you attempt to move an impediment and do so it’s a penalty – fair or not – it’s a known risk. As far as the Justin Rose thing, unfortunate, yes. Require a rule change? NO! Don’t make a practice swing behind your ball, or, if you do DON’T TAKE A DIVOT!! That’s bad etiquette anyway. The rules aren’t unfair, they may seem archaic but personally I think they’re fine (except for not allowing the tapping down of spike marks or moving the ball from a divot in the fairway).
JK
Sep 15, 2013 at 2:15 am
it’s sad that we’re talking about this instead of furyk’s 59.
Ben Alberstadt
Sep 15, 2013 at 11:55 am
http://www.golfwrx.com/136235/furyk-shoots-59-at-the-bmw-championship/
http://www.golfwrx.com/115618/jim-furyk-witb/
paul
Sep 15, 2013 at 3:23 pm
Nice Ben.
Fred
Sep 18, 2013 at 5:01 pm
DITO!! The best reply on this blog so far. Well said, JK.
GSark
Sep 15, 2013 at 1:40 am
It’s this type of situation that causes me the most embarrassment around my non-golfing friends. When I show up to work on Monday I will once again get the jibs and jabs about how ridiculous the rules can be, but also how fully grown adults can get so wound up and uptight over whether a golf ball “moved” or “oscillated”. Then I’ll have to hear about how Webb Simpson lost the Zurich Classic because the wind made his ball move, and then of course about Dustin Johnson losing the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits because he touched the ground with his club in a fairway bunker.
I applaud the USGA for changing the rules that cost both Webb and Dustin those tournaments. They were stupid rules, and in each case the two players golf balls were in no better position after the incidents. Neither man was trying to increase his position. In each case the only real violation was to their careers and to intelligence.
What happened with Tiger was an accident at best, and a whole lot about nothing. I hope it doesn’t cost him the FedEx cup, but if it does maybe then we will re-examine this low brow system that is in place.
I just saw what happened to Justin Rose…. unreal. While taking a practice a small divot cam up and hit hiss ball, which was at least 15′ in front of him. The ball moved a quarter turn, and he was assessed a penalty. This could cost him a chance at the Fed Ex cup.
I just don’t think that we should hand out the death penalty for jaywalking.
Jack
Sep 16, 2013 at 4:36 am
I would never practice swing behind the ball. But then again, I think if it’s not on purpose, he should be able to replace the ball to its original position without penalty, negating any advantage gained (the 1/2″?)
nip
Sep 15, 2013 at 1:28 am
plausible? why does tiger get the benefit of the doubt? remember- this is a man-child who was a serial liar to his wife and kids for years. hard for me to believe the ego that fueled that deception doesn’t carry over to his golf game.
Hans wimmer
Sep 15, 2013 at 1:06 pm
And you know Tiger was a serial liar? You know for a fact that he didn’t have an agreement with his wife and some thing may have changed that agreement? I may not agree with what he did, but that is really none of my business, that is between him and his family. I pay attention to Tiger for his golf. It’s enjoyable to watch. I’m sure you’re the type of person to play strictly by the rules. You must be a barrel of fun to have as a partner.
nip
Sep 15, 2013 at 3:56 pm
didn’t he apologize for lying to his family during his press conference?
his transgressions are none of my business either, but that doesn’t exclude me from having opinions about him as a human being and golfer.
and- when i golf, i don’t keep score 90% of the time. i could care less about strict adherence to the rules of the game.
but that’s just me…
Hunterdog
Sep 15, 2013 at 9:54 pm
Then you are not playing golf. You are having, I hope, a nice day in nature.
nip
Sep 15, 2013 at 11:11 pm
1) That’s a joke.
2) Thank you, I usually do.
Tony
Sep 15, 2013 at 12:34 am
I wonder if the media would scrutinize this so much if it had happened to Phil?
I for one believe him. Soon he will be the winningest Golfer ever. He doesn’t have to cheat to win. He is just flat out better than any Golfer out there.
On a side note, is it me or does Johnny Miller really dislike Tiger?
Jason
Sep 15, 2013 at 12:27 am
His ball moved!!!!!! It’s a penalty, move on.
naflack
Sep 15, 2013 at 12:17 am
When you need a camera with such capabilities to see the infraction it’s understandable how any golfer could miss the movement. It’s nothing I’d lose any sleep over…
JDS
Sep 15, 2013 at 8:28 am
There is something here that presents a different dynamic…called vantage point. This footage shows the ball moving slightly in a down to the right shift. Camera vantage point , low and head on, can see this. However, the players eye line can be something very different, perhaps it looked as if it turned slight on its axis. Which maybe where the oscillating comes from. Remember the Augusta-gate drop? A photographer analyzed the two images shot from the same vantage point and it showed his drop wasn’t yards away, but rather several inches away. I’d prefer the rules stay “live” with the players and rules officials and not with call-ins or post play video review.
naflack
Sep 15, 2013 at 12:50 pm
+1
Robert
Sep 20, 2013 at 4:18 pm
Well said, sir. It’s really unfair to him because I’m sure the other and practically unknown players on the tour have had this happen, but never had a call-in about them because nobody follows their every move with a camera.
Justin
Sep 15, 2013 at 12:00 am
It could have moved it could have ocilated, either way this has happened to every golfer that has played competitively. Usually you are so focused on the object that you are trying to move away from your ball that when the ball does move or ocilate you barely catch it moving or it’s obvious. Tiger carries himself with integrity on the golf course, off is another story (fire hydrant) I think he genuinely didn’t think the ball moved, I mean even with the high speed cameras its tough to tell if and how much the ball moved from its original positon and in full speed it doesn’t look like the ball moved from its original position. Golf is hard enough just ask Justin rose who took a practice swing in the fairway! behind the ball, took a divot, divot hits the ball, ball moves. Did he try to move the ball? Absolutely no, but it moved closer to the hole. Tiger in the woods in no way improved his position or lie (debatable- pine cone is tough to hit through) but again if the ball just ocilated, play ball. He made 6, not a hero par save.
Matt
Sep 14, 2013 at 11:57 pm
Yeah this is what happens when your every move is watched and recorded. Sometimes it sucks to be Tiger!
deerslayer
Sep 15, 2013 at 12:25 am
What? Tiger tried to cheat plain and simple. How ANYONE can defend him NOT calling a penalty on himself is just as wrong as Tiger not doing it. This is GOLF. YOU PLAY BY RULES AND ARE EXPECTED TO BE HONEST. It is a disgrace that the worlds #1 player tried to CHEAT. I will never look at him the same way. Once a cheater, ALWAYS a cheater.
John
Sep 15, 2013 at 3:06 am
If you pay attention to the footage, when tiger touches the stick the ball rotates toward him and when he lets go of the stick the ball rotates slightly back toward its original position. The ball did drop a little bit but there is no way tiger could have noticed such a minuscule change in its elevation. To judge him so quickly and make that conclusion without knowing and understanding all the factors in play says something about your character sir.
JB
Sep 16, 2013 at 2:16 am
+1
Josh Lymon
Sep 16, 2013 at 5:57 pm
+1
Fred
Sep 18, 2013 at 4:47 pm
The view Tiger had of the ball and the view the videographer had were completely different. When was the last time you saw a cameraman get down on his knees and shoot through the bushes to get a shot of Phil, Rory, or Adam clearing brush away from their ball. I’m sure the last thing on the videographer’s mind when he was filming Tiger was the integrity of the game. It’s like Jim Furyk said – “I’d hate to be Tiger.”
Robert
Sep 20, 2013 at 4:13 pm
John is exactly right. Deerslayer- it’s clear you’re amongst the crowd out to demonize Tiger for his every move. From competitive playing experience at a pretty high-level, if a penalty was called on Tiger in that situation, I should have called a penalty on myself many times. So many times when grounding your club within inches of the ball it’ll oscillate. The human eye doesn’t have the zoom option like a camera does. Just think about it and think about how often you call a penalty on yourself for this. I’d say that nobody on here ever does and it’s likely their balls moves just as Tiger’s did from time to time.
Christian
Sep 27, 2013 at 1:21 am
+1
Dan
Sep 15, 2013 at 4:25 am
Wow, a little bit obtuse there.
Killed one too many deer, perhaps.
That, sir, is just plain murder.
Keydogg
Sep 15, 2013 at 4:38 am
Your blatant hate for/jealousy of Tiger shines through your post. It’s pretty obvious he didn’t try to cheat, the world number one doesn’t need to do that when he’s already the best player in the world right now.
MWP
Sep 15, 2013 at 12:24 pm
and your love for tiger shows in your post…. how can you be so certain that he didn’t TRY to get away with something that he knew was wrong? I’m not saying that’s what happened, but it certainly is possible. Just cuz he is the best player in the world doesn’t mean he is a good person who would call himself out…
i have no idea how you can say he didn’t try to cheat… are you tigers conscious?
Steve
Sep 17, 2013 at 1:59 pm
Because it is probably safe to assume he isn’t that stupid. He knows every camera on the course is on him at pretty much all times.
Fred
Sep 18, 2013 at 4:55 pm
Why cheat when you know it won’t do you any good? Tiger’s attempt to “cheat,” as you put it, got him four or rive feet out of the brush – that’s it. Bobby Jones wouldn’t have done any better. It’s a new week – time to move on to something else.
Dave
Sep 16, 2013 at 9:15 am
You couldn’t hold tigers jock so just keep your mouth shut…
Once a murderer, always a murderer you deer slayer. I will never look at you the same way.
Andrew
Sep 16, 2013 at 1:21 pm
Relax.
Johan
Sep 17, 2013 at 3:00 am
HAHA, you are just stupid.
J
Sep 15, 2013 at 12:46 pm
He stopped touching the stick because he saw the ball moved and knew it would move further if he continued moving the stick. I don’t know if he believed it to be a penalty move or not, but he probably should have asked someone just to make sure. You’d think after a similar experience of continuing play without asking at the Masters with the same 2-stroke penalty result, that he would have just checked in with an official to be certain.
goaliescott
Sep 16, 2013 at 2:58 pm
Agree on this. He started to pick up a stick and the ball moved. He immediately froze and decided not to pick up the stick. He knew the ball moved.
And yes, it does suck to have that kind of scrutiny…
tdbach
Sep 18, 2013 at 3:30 pm
The ball moved, but did it change position? It settled slightly, which one could argue is a change in position, but was that apparent to Tiger, looking down? And even after looking at the video one could argue that the downward settling doesn’t constitute a material change in position.
Steve
Sep 15, 2013 at 9:43 pm
I always wonder how often this happens to other players without anyone making any sort of deal about it. The guy has a camera on him literally every second he’s out there. It sucks, but it all comes with the fame. He took the penalty, moved on, then put up a solid number Saturday to get him back into the fight. End of story
Fred
Sep 18, 2013 at 4:57 pm
Couldn’t have said it better, Steve. Time to move on.
Tony
Sep 18, 2013 at 8:27 am
Yeah this is what happens when you are a cheat, sucks to be Tiger.
He clearly doesn’t know the rules of golf so maybe he also doesn’t know the meaning of the word “oscillate”