The Masters is the Super Bowl of golf to many and you don’t become the big event of a popular sport without memorable and even controversial moments. USA Today compiled a list of the Top 5 rulings in Masters' history and if you miss Tiger Woods' presence in Augusta, you are in luck.
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5. PILED FOR REMOVAL: Ernie Els was in the mix at the Masters in 2004 when he hooked his tee shot on the 11th hole in the third round deep into the woods. He appeared to have no shot with all the branches and debris around the ball.
Although Els finished one stroke back of Phil Mickelson for this Masters championship it doesn't make it any less memorable. When Els hit his ball into the debris he asked for a second opinion on the place of the ball and it came through allowing for a free drop allowing Els to make his race with Phil all the more closer.
4. PRACTICE PUTTING: Dow Finsterwald had finished the eighth hole of the second round in the 1960 Masters when he set his ball on the green for a practice putt. Billy Casper told him practice putting was not allowed.
Despite his pleas, Finsterwald was not granted the practice putts and was penalized with a two stroke penalty. After the penalty, Finsterwald finished the tournament two shots behind Arnold Palmer for that Masters title. One of the more controversial decisions by the rules committee.
3. TIGER'S DROP: Tiger Woods was poised to take the lead in the second round of the 2013 Masters when his wedge took dead aim for the flag on the par-5 15th. It was too perfect, striking the flagstick and bouncing back into the water, a terrible break. Woods chose to drop behind his previous spot, telling reporters later that he purposely dropped 2 yards farther back to avoid hitting the pin. He salvaged bogey.
Even when Tiger isn’t golfing, he is with us in spirit and this one is still fresh in our mind. Woods was penalized with an additional two shots and he finished fourth to continue his free fall from the grace of gold gods.
2. PALMER'S CHIP: Arnold Palmer hit his tee shot behind the green at the par-3 12th hole in the final round of the 1958 Masters. He felt his ball was imbedded and that he was entitled to free relief. The rules official, Arthur Lacey, declined.
After the decline, Palmer offered to play both from the original spot and the relief spot he asked. He double bogeyed the first and pared the relief. He was later granted relief and the par counted.
1. A "STUPID" MISTAKE: A player who signs for a score that is lower than what he made is disqualified. If he signs for a score that is higher than what he made, the score on the card stands. It was the latter that cost Roberto De Vicenzo a shot at winning the 1968 Masters.
Someone else was filling out De Vicenzo’s card and marked down four on the 17th hole instead of the birdie three. De Vicenzo had to keep the incorrect card and lost the Masters by one stroke.
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