Tiger Woods was carted back to the 5th tee during the Masters final round despite having already hit two drives.
His first drive sliced right into the trees so he duly hit a provisional ball just incase he couldn’t find his original. His first ball was found, but there was nowhere to drop it – and therefore he headed back to the tee to hit his third drive of the hole.
Once he found his first ball, his provisional ball that found the fairway was now deemed out of play. Due to golf’s dropping procedures for when your ball is unplayable, he had three options and the best scenario, it turned out, was to drive back to the tee and take what is known as ‘stroke and distance’.
Woods’ options were to take a two club-length drop, go back in line with where his ball was and the pin or head back to the tee. There was no safe place to hit from within two club-lengths of his ball buried in the shrubbery, and he couldn’t go back in line due to the out of bounds that lines the hole.
After heading back to the tee, he striped his drive down the fairway and went on to make a triple bogey to drop to +14 for the tournament. It was his highest score at The Masters since he made a 10 on the par 3 12th in 2020.
Woods is playing with amateur Neal Shipley in the final round after his highest ever Masters round of 82 on Saturday. He plays his 100th Masters round today after making a record 24th consecutive cut at Augusta National.
Rule 19 explained: unplayable ball
Stroke and distance
You must drop within one club-length not nearer the hole from the point where your last shot was played, estimating it to the best of your ability if you can’t be sure. If it was a tee shot, you may re-tee your ball anywhere within the teeing area.
Back on line
You must choose a reference point any distance behind the point where the ball is lying, keeping a straight line between that point and the hole.
Two club-lengths
You may also drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball is lying, not nearer the hole.
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