Woods caught cheating, incites controversy yet again
For Tiger Woods, a ball dropped two yards from where he should have dropped it at the Masters was little more than an afterthought, but for many watching, Tiger once again became a villain. This latest “controversy” has caused some to go so far to say he should have been eliminated from competition.
It certainly was a controversial situation. Woods chose not to drop the ball in the designated drop zone and then committed the illegal drop, which he admitted to in a later interview. While to the casual fan this may not seem like such an egregious error, it can warrant disqualification upon review, and one viewer who clearly knows the rules of golf quite well called Augusta National to report the violation.
Woods was given a two-shot penalty and was allowed to keep playing despite the fact that improperly dropping a ball can warrant a player’s disqualification from the rest of the event. Many fans were in uproar over the ruling, claiming Woods should be disqualified for cheating, but Woods does not seem to see it quite the same though.
“At hole 15, I took a drop that I thought was correct and in accordance with the rules,” Woods said. “I was unaware at that time I had violated any rules. I didn’t know I had taken an incorrect drop prior to signing my scorecard. … I understand and accept the penalty and respect the Committees’ decision.”
Could it be a simple accident? Considering how long Woods has been playing golf and his admission that he dropped the ball two yards away from his original shot, there isn’t too good a case for his simply making a mistake, so the anger of the fans is understandable. Still, some fans have are furious enough to demand that Woods take himself out of the tournament for his behavior. Analyst and Masters champion Nick Faldo leads the charge behind that movement, calling out Woods for being dishonest.
“I think it would have done him a world of good to have disqualified himself,” Faldo said. “I think he should have said to the committee, ‘Thank you for your thoughts, but I have broken this rule, and I am going to call it on myself.'”
It’s an unfortunate fact that cheating and sports often go hand in hand. When a player can get an advantage and get away with it, he or she often will. Woods made an error that could have cost him his ability to play, but instead he received a slap on the wrist. Can you fault him for his mistake? Probably. Can you fault him to accepting a lenient ruling? No, I don’t think you really can.
What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.
