Connect with us

News

Tiger Woods avoids penalty at Hero World Challenge

Published

on

5-under through 17 holes in his second round at the Hero World Challenge, Tiger Woods was sailing along nicely until his drive at Albany’s 18th, well, sailed right and wound up beneath a bush in the native area.

After considering his options, Woods, from his knees, attempted a quick swat at the ball with an iron. The good news: Woods extricated himself from the trouble. The bad news: Woods’ rules trouble was only beginning.

First, have a look at the shot here, via PGATour.com on Twitter.

As you can see, and as the coverage team suggests, the ball appeared to stay on the club face for an extended period of time. If Woods “pushed, scraped or spooned the ball” he violated Rule 14-1 (a two-stroke penalty).

Secondarily, some questioned whether Woods struck the ball twice in the course of freeing it from the native area, a violation of Rule 14-4 (which is still in effect until the 2019 revision goes into effect).

When Woods entered the scorer’s tent, he was asked to review footage of the incident in conjunction with Tour Officials.

(via PGA Tour on Twitter)

Ultimately, as PGA Tour Rules Official Mark Russell told Golf Channel, Woods wasn’t assessed a penalty, it seems, because all parties believed he intended to make a legal strike. Further, as a double-hit couldn’t be determined by the naked eye, and per the 2017 rule limited the power of later video evidence, Woods was cleared of a breach of Rule 14-4.

Russell cited Decision 18/4 , which states “a player’s determination that the ball has not moved will be deemed to be conclusive, even if that determination is later shown to be incorrect through the use of sophisticated technology.”

He added the following later, via Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard on Twitter

For his part, Woods has this to say to Golf Channel’s Steve Sands

“First of all, I didn’t feel like I violated any rules. I felt like I was trying to play a shot. But the rules committee pulled me aside and said ‘Hey, there may be a violation there’ so we took a look at it. I didn’t feel like I hit it twice, it happened so fast and it was such a short motion, but under high def and super slow-mo, you can see it. I made contact twice, but there was no, they’ll explain it to you. There is no violation, I guess, so I shot what I shot today.”

What he shot — after an 18th hole double bogey — was a 3-under 69. Through two rounds, he sits at 2 under, eight strokes behind leader Jon Rahm and tied for 15th in the field of 18.

Your Reaction?
  • 27
  • LEGIT2
  • WOW7
  • LOL6
  • IDHT1
  • FLOP7
  • OB6
  • SHANK54

GolfWRX Editor-in-Chief

39 Comments

39 Comments

  1. Darryl

    Dec 5, 2018 at 6:38 am

    What I love is that the raking story has had zero coverage on the home page here. If Eldrick had hit a 290 yard baby fade out of a pot bunker to a tight cut pin with a 6 iron, all top 5 stories would be about it, three days later, even if he still only finished 17 of 18. But since the actual story doesn’t depict him as Jeebus on a flaming bun, all is quiet.

  2. Tom

    Dec 4, 2018 at 3:15 pm

    He has impeccable character and honesty, just ask Elin or Lindsey. lol!

  3. Kelly Gallagher

    Dec 3, 2018 at 11:42 pm

    All players can feel the difference between pushing the ball away and hitting it. I wish just once he would admit to doing something wrong. But I’m sure that will never happen. He showed with all his lying and cheating he has no morals. Yes he is one great golfer. But that is where it ends.

  4. Bob Jones

    Dec 3, 2018 at 8:34 pm

    They said he wasn’t assessed a penalty because he was intending to make a legal strike.

    I was intending to hit my ball in bounds, so I shouldn’t have to take a penalty because I missed.

  5. Bob Jones

    Dec 3, 2018 at 8:33 pm

    They said he wasn’t assessed a penalty because he was intending to make a legal strike.

    Well, I was intending to hit my ball in bounds, so I shouldn’t have to take a penalty because I missed.

  6. Dave r

    Dec 3, 2018 at 12:37 pm

    Who cares he finished 17th out of 18 players. And yes he hit it twice and then proceeded to rake it out, the call was up to him to make and as usual he did not , can’t recall him ever calling himself on anything it must be great to be so perfect.

    • Tartan Golf Travel

      Dec 3, 2018 at 3:45 pm

      Correct. In 20 years on tour he had never called a penalty on himself. In fact he has argued vehemently when visual proof has been shown to him.

    • Kelly Gallagher

      Dec 3, 2018 at 11:32 pm

      Yes he did push it out. One of many things he has been caught at. He just won’t admit it. Liar,Liar.

  7. Ron

    Dec 3, 2018 at 11:41 am

    All these comments on here about Woods cheating….The determination was made by the officials, not Tiger.

    • Jack Nash

      Dec 3, 2018 at 12:01 pm

      It was Tigers Tourney, I’m sure they’ll penalize him. Kinda like years ago at the Masters where he “wasn’t” penalized for an obvious infraction on 15 with the “yellow” staked area.

  8. CJ

    Dec 3, 2018 at 11:15 am

    I believe he got away with a clear penalty. Not on purpose but its still a penalty regardless

  9. Tartan Golf Travel

    Dec 3, 2018 at 8:19 am

    It’s obvious he cheated and it’s certainly Not his first time. Sad to see especially in a hit and giggle.

  10. Tony

    Dec 3, 2018 at 1:13 am

    In my opinion (and as an experienced trial lawyer and long-term golfer I think I bring to bear objectivity and experience) it was a two-stroke penalty for a breach of Rule 14.1.a, which provides that “The ball must be fairly struck at with the head of the club and must not be pushed, scraped or spooned.” The fact that it was also a double hit (as determined on slow motion television) compounds the offence.

    Any experienced golfer who has been in that position will know when the ball has been scraped or spooned. I can recall several occasions when I have been against a tree with limited backswing and I have genuinely attempted to strike the ball but it has stayed on the clubface resulting in a scrape or spoon. I have always felt it and penalised myself.

    Ruling 14.1.a/4 provides, inter-alia, as follows: “It is possible to strike a ball fairly with a half inch backswing. However, in most such cases the player would be pushing the ball, contrary to Rule 14-1a. In the absence of strong evidence to the contrary, it should be ruled that the player has pushed the ball. In order to strike the ball fairly, it must be swung at with the clubhead. If the ball is moved by any other method, it has been pushed, scraped or spooned. If a ball is fairly struck at, there is only momentary contact between the clubhead and the ball or whatever intervenes between the clubhead and the ball.”

    I note part of Mark Russell’s explanation that you could see the “club [sic-ball] stay on the clubface quite a bit of time”. Why, then, did they not have reference to Ruling 14.1.a/4 — the contact was not momentary and the ball was pushed, scraped or spooned.

    Admittedly the backswing was more than half an inch – but it was only a few inches, and the ball was in sand. The fact that Tiger genuinely attempted to strike the ball is irrelevant. If the motion was a push, scrape or scoop there is a two shot penalty. A compelling piece of evidence against the “first strike” finding by the PGA officials is the fact that, in the motion, Tiger turns his wrist to hood the toe of the club to scrape it in the right direction. Also, I don’t believe a fair strike with such a limited backswing, with the ball in sand, would ever have resulted in the ball travelling as far as it did.

    Finally, all of those who say get over it because the rule changes next year are missing the point that rule 14.1 does not change and has nothing to do with double hits. It is Rule 14.4 which will change from January.

  11. b

    Dec 2, 2018 at 3:36 pm

    Woods purposely RAKED the ball with the clubface!!!

    It was raking just like you would use to rake leaves or rake anything by keeping the object you are trying to move on the clubface or head of the stick.

    If Woods at made a strike (in lieu of a raking motion) the ball would have compressed and bounced (sprung) off the clubface instead of remaining on the clubface as it was raked.

    It was definitely a PENALTY that Woods got away with. BIG TIME BAD RULING!!!

    • geohogan

      Dec 3, 2018 at 10:10 am

      Ball clubface contact is 5, 10, 000 th of a second

      Clearly , in real time, without stop action camera, Tiger raked the ball.

      If Woods “pushed, scraped or spooned the ball” he violated Rule 14-1 (a two-stroke penalty).

  12. Bert Gwaltney

    Dec 2, 2018 at 10:42 am

    1″ back swung usually doesn’t produce a 3′ follow-through, yes he was trying to get the ball out and into the grass, past the sand area. Certainly looks like a swoop and not a normal hit, but he said he make a stroke at the ball, and didn’t believe he hit it twice. OK, but maybe when he viewed the shot on camera, he might have thought of calling the penalty on himself. “I saw the ball move” seems to remember a great amateur making that comment.

    in 2019, golfers will Intentionally strike the ball twice, perhaps with the putter and claim, it wasn’t intentional. This is why a rule for double-strike was put into the Rules of Golf in the first place. A putt that might come up a little short on slow greens could be made with a long follow-through.

  13. Tom

    Dec 1, 2018 at 11:33 pm

    Cheetah

  14. Johnny Penso

    Dec 1, 2018 at 9:34 pm

    You’re in 15th place out of 18. One would think that legacy would triumph personal reward at an event that is almost entirely meaningless within Tigers’ career.

  15. RulesCop

    Dec 1, 2018 at 8:04 pm

    There are golf pros and there are true, iconic, consummate sports heros. I can’t imagine Arnie, Jack or Jones not owning up to a rules breach, but not Eldrick. That’s yet another reason why Eldrick will never be in their league no matter which and how many wins. You have to have the whole package to qualify……performance and integrity.

    • TWE

      Dec 3, 2018 at 12:05 pm

      Ummmm…..please don’t make statements when you don’t know the facts…..Palmer won his first Master after he insisted on playing two balls because he did not get the ruling he desired on an embedded ball rule. I love Arnie, but please don’t spew garbage.

      • Peter McGill

        Dec 4, 2018 at 5:38 am

        You’re allowed to play a second ball in those circumstances. Apples and oranges.

    • Kelly Gallagher

      Dec 3, 2018 at 11:38 pm

      Rules Cop you are so bang on. He has no class and that has shone through for years. The greats would have put their hand up and said yes I did that. And taken their penalty. Not him. I don’t care how many wins or majors he has. Just cause you can golf does not make you a stand up person.

  16. Nack Jicklaus

    Dec 1, 2018 at 4:59 pm

    I rake my balls too.

  17. Rich Douglas

    Dec 1, 2018 at 1:54 pm

    SCRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPE!

    This isn’t even close, and it doesn’t require high-def replay to discern it. (Lame excuse, Tour officials!)

    How is that any different than swiping away someone’s gimme putt? He used the exact same method you’d use to pull the ball out of there so you could drop it.

    Another example of Tiger being Tiger and the Tour being his best friend.

  18. RulesCop

    Dec 1, 2018 at 1:50 pm

    Double hits aside, it was obvious, even a normal speed, that he raked it out. That is a penalty in any year. Shame on Tour officials and so much for Woods ‘integrity’ setting an example for the 1st tee kidz.

  19. David

    Dec 1, 2018 at 12:57 pm

    ANOTHER example of Woods CHEATING again…
    There’s no way in this world anyone can make a pulling motion to the ball with no back swing without double touching/ball sticking on the club face .. and Woods KNOWS that.
    He also KNEW immediately he’d double touched. Anyone else would have called it on himself but not Woods… it shows his total lack of honesty.
    Anyone that’s ever played golf know exactly when they’ve double hit … anyone reading this and feels differently has never played golf.
    And that they let him off without penalty is utterly RIDICULOUS … anyone other than Woods would DEFINITELY have received a penalty.

  20. S&TisKing

    Dec 1, 2018 at 11:32 am

    That wasn’t a swing, that was a swipe!!!

  21. Andrew Wainer

    Dec 1, 2018 at 6:00 am

    He “scoop/spooned” it

  22. DONNIE GRAY

    Dec 1, 2018 at 12:06 am

    PGA STOOPED TO A NEW LEVEL,DRIVING WITH 4 DIFFERENT PRESCRIPTION IN SYSTEM, ONLY 2 HE HAD PRESCRIPTIONS FOR[NO REPERCUSSIONS FROM TOUR],REMEMBER WHEN THEY SUPENDED DALY FOR THE HOOTERS INCIDENT HE ADMITTED HE HIT IT TWICE AND THE NEW RULES ARE NOT INFECT TILL JANUARY IN HIS CAREER HOW MANY FAVORABLE CALLS HAS HE RECEIVED IN HIS CAREER

  23. Lovejoy

    Nov 30, 2018 at 9:52 pm

    A player admits to a double hit having seen the evidence and does not call a penalty on himself?

    CHEAT

    • Scheiss

      Dec 1, 2018 at 11:16 am

      Exactly. Signed for wrong score, therefore DQ

  24. He Who Remembers

    Nov 30, 2018 at 9:05 pm

    Yeah, this kind of stuff reminds me of the EXTRA favorable drop Woods received at the Players Championship……got away with that one too. It took a call from a distinguished senior tour player to make the officials rule Tiger made an illegal drop at The Masters. Cmon, how many time does the tour have to roll over for this guy.

  25. BF

    Nov 30, 2018 at 5:42 pm

    If they were playing under the new 2019 rules, which I know they aren’t, isn’t there no penalty for hitting it twice if it’s unintentional?

    • Bubbert

      Dec 1, 2018 at 8:33 am

      In the new 2019 rules, there is no penalty for unintentionally hitting the ball twice.

    • Rich Douglas

      Dec 1, 2018 at 1:56 pm

      This wasn’t a case of “hitting it twice” with one swing. This was a scrape. He yanked the ball out of there, not using a clean hit. That is a penalty now, and it will be a penalty in 2019.

  26. dat

    Nov 30, 2018 at 5:37 pm

    Certainly didn’t look like a double hit or a scoop to me in real time. Slo-mo is deceptive and irrelevant here. Officials made the right call.

  27. Brian McGrnahan

    Nov 30, 2018 at 4:42 pm

    Its obvious the ball was compressed on the clubface.

  28. Tom

    Nov 30, 2018 at 4:38 pm

    Ray Lewis told him to say “I didn’t see nuttin!”

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

News

Morning 9: Pendrith’s maiden Tour win | Morikawa back with former coach | Brooks victorious

Published

on

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as the PGA Tour gives us yet another breakthrough winner.

1. Pendrith wins first PGA Tour title

AP Report…”Taylor Pendrith took advantage of Ben Kohles’ final-hole meltdown to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title.”

  • “Kohles overtook Pendrith with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 for a one-shot lead then bogeyed the 18th after hitting his second shot into greenside rough. After having to chip twice from the rough and already looking stunned, Kohles missed a 6-foot putt that would have forced a playoff.”
  • “Pendrith two-putted for birdie on the 18th, holing a 3-footer for a 4-under 67 and 23-under 261 total at the TPC Craig Ranch. The 32-year-old Canadian won in his 74th career PGA Tour start.”
Full piece.

2. Koepka takes LIV title in Singapore

S.I.’s Bob Harig…”Brooks Koepka became the first player to win four times as part of the LIV Golf League, shooting a final-round 68 at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore on Sunday to beat Cam Smith and Marc Leishman by two strokes.”

  • “His timing wasn’t bad, either.”
  • “A few days after offering concern about his game in light of a poor Masters performance, Koepka stepped up and won the LIV Golf Singapore even to give himself a boost heading into the defense of his PGA Championship title in two weeks.”
  • “The year’s second major begins on May 16.”
Full piece.

3. Otaegui wins Volvo China

AP report…”Adrian Otaegui overturned a five-shot deficit to win the Volvo China Open on Sunday, the Spaniard’s fifth tour title.”

  • “Otaegui had been trailing the in-form Sebastian Söderberg after Friday’s round – Saturday’s was cancelled because of thunder and lightning – and he shot 7-under 65 in his final round to win by one shot from Guido Migliozzi, who finished runner up with a 67.”
Full piece.

4. ICYMI: Teen Kim makes the cut

Guardian report…”English teenager Kris Kim became the youngest player to make the cut on the PGA Tour in 11 years after a birdie at the last saw him get through to the weekend of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas with a shot to spare.”

  • “Amateur Kim, the son of former LPGA player Ji-Hyun Suh, made a second-round four-under-par 67, which included a run of five birdies and one bogey over his front nine.”
  • “At 16 years and seven months he became the youngest player to make the cut on tour since 14-year-old Guan Tianlang at the 2013 Masters, and, according to the PGA Tour, the fifth youngest in history.”
Full piece.

5. Winner in a rainout

AP report…”Scott Dunlap was declared the 36-hole winner of the Insperity Invitational when rain washed the final round Sunday, giving Dunlap his first PGA Tour Champions title in nearly 10 years.”

  • “Devastating rain in the Houston area previously washed out the opening round Friday. Players managed to play 36 holes on Saturday, and Dunlap posted a 2-under 70 to take a one-shot lead over Joe Durant and Stuart Appleby.”
  • “That proved to be the winning score when rain soaked The Woodlands Country Club. It was the second 36-hole event in the last three weeks on the PGA Tour Champions because of weather. The other was in the Dallas area.”
Full piece.

6. Morikawa back with former coach

7. Winner’s bag: Taylor Pendrith

Presented by 2nd Swing

Driver: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees)

Shaft: ACCRA TZ Six ST

3-wood: Ping G430 Max (15 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green Small Batch 80 6.5 TX

7-wood: Ping G430 MAX (20.5 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green Small Batch 90 6.5 TX

Irons: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4, 5), Srixon ZX7 Mk II (6-9)

Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 6.5 90, 6.5 100 (2-3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Cleveland RTX 6 Tour Rack (46-10 Mid, 52-10 Mid, 56-10 Mid, 60-9 Full)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Putter: Odyssey Jailbird Versa

Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Flatso 1.0

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

Ball: Srixon Z-Star Diamond

Full WITB.
Your Reaction?
  • 0
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK0

Continue Reading

News

Morning 9: Tiger confirms playing schedule | Player: This caused Tiger’s downfall

Published

on

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as day one of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson gets underway.

1. Woods confirms he plans to play 1x monthly, remaining 3 majors

ESPN report…”Woods, appearing on the “Today” show Wednesday morning, said he is still following the calendar he mapped out before the season began. But physical limitations continue to give the 15-time major winner pause.”

  • “He completed the Masters last month but requires a “cold plunge every day, religiously” to get his body going and was “extremely sore” when he left Augusta National. Woods shot a 16-over 304 at the Masters and finished last among the 60 golfers who made the 36-hole cut.”
  • “I have basically the next three months — three majors — and hopefully that works out,” said Woods, who last won a major in 2019.
  • “Up next is the PGA Championship at Valhalla in two weeks. The U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 begins June 13, and the Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland begins July 18. Woods has not played all four majors in a year since 2019.”
Full piece.

2. Tiger on origin of red-and-black Sunday outfit

Ben Morse for CNN…”…speaking on Tuesday’s edition of ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,’ the 48-year-old said his mother Kultida was key to him wearing the now-iconic red and black combination.”

  • “My mom thought, being a Capricorn, that [red] was my power color, or some BS thing like that, so I end up wearing red and end up winning some golf tournaments,” the 15-time major winner told Fallon. “And then to spite her, I wore blue, and I did not win those tournaments. So Mom is always right.”
  • “Woods’ mother was clearly was onto something as her son would go onto win a record-equaling 82 PGA Tour tournaments.”
Full piece.

3. Gary Player’s take on Tiger’s downfall

Our Matt Vincenzi…”While speaking with KW Golf, golf legend Gary Player said that he believes swing coaches ruined the career of Tiger Woods.”

  • “The US Open at Pebble Beach, he won by 15 shots. You know what that’s like? It’s like running the 100 meters in seven seconds. The next week, he’s having a lesson from a man who, I don’t think, if he played in the Masters, could break 80.”
  • “And then he goes to another guy who couldn’t probably break 85 in the Masters with the pressure, or the British Open or the PGA on the final day. And he’s having lessons from them.”
  • “Why did Tiger do that? He was so good, but I understand he wanted to get better,” Player went on. “If he had just gone along and never changed, he would have won at least 22.. He would’ve gone down as the greatest athlete the world has ever seen.”
  • In 2008, Woods had won 14 majors and was 33 years old. It would take him eleven years to win his 15th at the 2019 Masters.
Full piece.

4. Open winner: I used to hate links golf

Peter Scrivener for the BBC…”However, he did recall his chastening links golf baptism at neighbouring Prestwick, which hosted the inaugural Open in 1860.”

  • “The first time I played links golf I hated it – it ate me to pieces,” said the 37-year-old, who lost all four of his matches as Europe thrashed the United States in the 2006 Palmer Cup.
  • “I kept trying to hit lob wedges around the greens and the weather was bad. I got whipped, lost all of my matches.”
Full piece.

5. Why Tiger’s daughter doesn’t like golf

Our Matt Vincenzi…”While Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie, has certainly inherited his father’s love for golf, his daughter, Sam, has not.”

  • “On Wednesday, Tiger made an appearance on The Today Show with Carson Daly and explained his daughter’s relationship with golf.”
  • “Golf has negative connotations for her. When she was growing up, golf took daddy away from her. I had to pack, I had to leave, and I was gone for weeks. So, there were negative connotations to it.
  • “We developed our own relationship and our own rapport outside of golf. We do things that doesn’t involve golf. Meanwhile, my son and I, everything we do is golf related.”
Full piece.

6. Spieth hits ‘reset button’

Mark Schlabach for ESPN…”PGA Tour star Jordan Spieth isn’t happy that he’s not playing as well as his longtime friend Scottie Scheffler, but he’s hoping to use the world No. 1 golfer’s success as inspiration.”

  • “Spieth, a three-time major championship winner, said he used last week as a reset after a so-so start to the 2024 season. He has three top-10 finishes in 10 starts but had a disqualification and three missed cuts, including at The Players and Masters, in his past seven.”
  • “He is hoping to turn things around, starting at The CJ Cup Bryon Nelson, which tees off Thursday at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.”
  • “I think I kind of wanted to hit the reset button this last week and I took more days off than I usually do,” Spieth told reporters Wednesday. “Got a little burned out trying to find stuff. I wanted to take some time off, clear my mind, and then get back to it.
  • “… Kind of looking at this as kind of a restart. I haven’t had the year I wanted to have after getting off to a pretty optimistic start in Hawaii. I feel really good about the work I put in since the weekend into the few days this week, so I believe that I’m really close to some great things.”
Full piece.

7. Photos from the CJ Cup Byron Nelson

  • Check out all of our galleries from this week’s event!
Full Piece.
Your Reaction?
  • 1
  • LEGIT1
  • WOW0
  • LOL1
  • IDHT1
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson

Published

on

GolfWRX is on site this week in McKinney, Texas, at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (FKA the AT&T Byron Nelson).

Last year at TPC Craig Ranch, Jason Day ended a five-year winless streak. J-Day is in the field again, as are Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.

We have our usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums for your perusal. As always, we’ll continue to add links to additional albums as they make their way to us from the Lone Star State.

Check out links to all our photos below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.

 

 

Your Reaction?
  • 10
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending