Tiger Woods could be disqualified from Masters 2013 over illegal drop

Tiger Woods is facing investigation and could be disqualified from the Masters over claims he took an illegal drop.

World’s No 1 Tiger Woods suggested his drop at the 15th was taken “two yards away” from the original position, which should have incurred a two-stroke penalty, one more than his final score.

Tiger Woods currently lies three shots behind second-round leader Jason Day.

In his press conference afterwards the golfer said that he found it preferential to take a couple of extra yards back to play that shot.

If he did take two yards back he’s in breach of the rules. Tiger Woods was therefore liable to an extra penalty that should have been added on to his scorecard before he signed it last night.

It wasn’t, and therefore Tiger Woods may be liable to disqualification from the Masters and that’s what the officials will be discussing this morning.

The US Golf Association rule 26-1a states that a player must take their drop “as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played”.

Explaining the circumstances around his drop Tiger Woods said: “I went down to the drop area, that wasn’t going to be a good spot, because obviously it’s into the grain.

“And it was a little bit wet. So it was muddy and not a good spot to drop.

“So I went back to where I played it from, but I went two yards further back.

“I tried to take two yards off the shot of what I felt I hit – that should land me short of the flag and not have it either hit the flag or skip over the back.”